Above: AP photo of fireworks over RedSquare in Moscow, Russia, January 1, 2015; AP photo of fireworks over the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France
Above: APphoto of fireworks over London, England, January 1, 2015; AP photo of Fireworks at Times Square in New York City, January 1, 2015
Above: Newsweek.com photo of a clock in Times Square in New York City as 2015 rang in, January 1, 2015
Above: AP photo of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio kissing his wife Chirlane McCray during the celebration of the new year, January 1, 2015;U.S. Census Bureau graphic showing population projections for the United States and the world
Andrew Cuomo Began 2nd Term as Governor of New York
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his father, former N.Y. Governor Mario Cuomo, celebrating re-election victory on November 4, 2014
"Mr. Cuomo, whose re-election in November fell short of a coronation, celebrated his inauguration on the 64th floor of 1 World Trade Center, the newly completed downtown skyscraper, with the spiked elegance of Manhattan spread below.
He held a second ceremony later on Thursday at a museum in Buffalo, the home of Mr. Cuomo’s new lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, a former member of Congress."
---New York Times, January 1, 2015
Death of Mario Cuomo, Former Governor of New York
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Cover of the New York Post, January 2, 2015
"Mario Cuomo, the three-time governor of New York who turned down several invitations to seek the U.S. presidency, has died at the age of 82, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
The circumstances of his death, which came on the day that his son, Andrew Cuomo, delivered inaugural speeches in Manhattan and Buffalo for his own second term as governor, were not immediately clear.
Officials had said earlier the elder Cuomo was unable to attend the swearing-in proceedings due to poor health."
"Mario M. Cuomo, the three-term governor of New York who commanded the attention of the country with a compelling public presence, a forceful defense of liberalism and his exhaustive ruminations about whether to run for president, died on Thursday at his home in Manhattan. He was 82.
His family confirmed the death, which occurred only hours after Mr. Cuomo’s son Andrew M. Cuomo was inaugurated in Manhattan for a second term as governor."
---New York Times, January 1, 2015
Inaugural Major College Football Playoffs: Oregon and Ohio State Emerge Victorious in the Semifinal Round
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota running past a Florida State defender in the Rose Bowl, January 1, 2015
Above: AL.com photo of an Ohio State defender return an interception for a touchdown against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, January 1, 2015
"The Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks earned victories in the Sugar and Rose Bowls on Thursday, booking spots in the national championship as American college football entered a new era with its first ever playoff games.
The fourth ranked Buckeyes stunned top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide 42-35 in New Orleans, as quarterback Cardale Jones threw for 243 yards, rallying his team from a 21-6 deficit in the second quarter.
...Earlier, second ranked Oregon crushed the unbeaten Florida State Seminoles 59-20 in Pasadena."
"Several Oregon players are facing team discipline after celebrating their Rose Bowl win Thursday night by mocking Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and allegations of sexual assault that have followed the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner the past two years.
Video taken from the field as Oregon celebrated its 59-20 win in the College Football Playoff semifinal showed at least three players chanting 'No means no!' to the tune of a chant used by Florida State fans."
---CBS News, January 2, 2015
First Day of Stock Market Trading in 2015: The Dow Jones Industrial Average Closed at 17,832
January 2, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow closing at 17,832 on January 2, 2015
The Baga Massacre: Jihadist Terrorist Group Boko Haram Began Campaign of Slaughter in Northeastern Nigeria
NFL Playoffs: Carolina Panthers Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27 to 16
January 3, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart carrying the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC playoff game, January 3, 2015; Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker carrying the ball for a touchdown against Arizona, January 3, 2015
Above: Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newtoncelebrating during the NFC playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals, January 3, 2015; Getty Images photo of Carolina quarterback Cam Newton in the aftermath of the 27 to 16 Carolina playoff victory over Arizona, January 3, 2015
"The Carolina Panthers were the second division winner with a losing record in NFL history. They're also the second such team to win a postseason game.
Emulating the 2010 Seattle Seahawks, Carolina (8-8-1) got its first playoff victory in nine years by holding Arizona to 78 yards in a 27-16 win. That was the lowest yield in a postseason game.
Fourth-year quarterback Cam Newton threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns for his first playoff victory, and Jonathan Stewart ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on a rain-soaked afternoon."
---Associated Press, January 3, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Baltimore Ravens Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30 to 17
January 3, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of a Baltimore Ravens runner scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC playoff game, January 3, 2015; AP photo of a Baltimore Ravens ball carrier being tackled by a Pittsburgh Steelers defender, January 3, 2015
Above: Getty Images photo of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco throwing a pass against Pittsburgh, January 3, 2015
"The Baltimore Ravens shut down the Pittsburgh Steelers offense and advanced in the NFL playoffs with a 30-17 AFC wildcard victory on Sunday.
Joe Flacco passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns and the Ravens defense held the Steelers without a touchdown for three quarters as Baltimore moved on to face the New England Patriots in next weekend's divisional round."
---Reuters, January 3, 2015
Funeral for Slain NYPD Officer Wenjian Liu: Defiance of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Continued
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: NYPD Officer Wenjian Liu, murdered while on duty, December 20, 2014; Front page of the New York Daily News, January 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of police officers with backs turned to video of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio speaking at the Wenjian Liu funeral, January 4, 2015; AP photo showing some officers with backs turned to Bill de Blasio, January 4, 2015
Above: AP photo of police officers with backs turned to a video screen outside the Wenjian Liu funeral in NYC, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Wenjian Liu's widow holding a portrait of her slain husband, January 4, 2015
Above: Reuters photos of police officers outside the Wenjian Liu funeral, some with backs turned to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, January 4, 2015
"Scores of officers in pressed blue uniforms — among thousands crowded in the rain outside the funeral of one of their own — turned their backs on Mayor Bill de Blasio as he delivered a eulogy on Sunday praising the slain officer as an example of a 'brave' and 'kind' New Yorker who came to New York from China and followed his dream to join the Police Department.
The show of disrespect, which included both police officers from New York and those who joined them in mourning from around the country, mirrored a similar display just over a week before at the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos, in Queens. In the wet streets of southern Brooklyn on Sunday morning, many turned again from their somber ranks at the funeral of his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu."
"Thousands of NYPD cops turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio on Sunday outside a Brooklyn funeral home as he eulogized a murdered NYPD officer inside.
As de Blasio addressed the loved ones of Detective Wenjian Liu in the Aievoli Funeral Home in Bensonhurst, the sea of blue watching the funeral on huge TV screens outside showed their disgust for Hizzoner by turning around as he spoke."
"Thousands of police turned their backs Sunday as Mayor Bill de Blasio eulogized an officer shot dead with his partner, repeating a stinging display of scorn for the mayor despite entreaties to put anger aside.
The show of disrespect came outside the funeral home where Officer Wenjian Liu was remembered as an incarnation of the American dream: a man who had emigrated from China at age 12 and devoted himself to helping others in his adopted country. The gesture among officers watching the mayor's speech on a screen added to tensions between the mayor and rank-and-file police even as he sought to quiet them."
"New York City police turned out in their thousands on Sunday for the funeral of the second of two officers murdered last month, but in a sign of persistent tensions with Mayor Bill de Blasio, hundreds turned their backs when he delivered his eulogy."
---Reuters, January 4, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Indianapolis Colts Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 26 to 10
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photo of Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck in the process of throwing a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC playoff game, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Colts receiver Donte Moncrief hauling in a touchdown pass against Cincinnati, January 4, 2015
"With the Bengals as their opposition, the Indianapolis Colts didn't need to be great to win Sunday.
It's the playoffs, after all, and Cincinnati simply doesn't win in the postseason.
Andrew Luck threw for 376 yards and one touchdown, Daniel 'Boom' Herron ran for another score, and Indianapolis dominated the second half to beat Cincinnati 26-10 in the AFC wild-card round. The Colts made a fair share of mistakes, but nothing like the Bengals, who became the first team in NFL history to lose four consecutive opening-round playoff games.
They also are 0-6 in the postseason under coach Marvin Lewis, 0-4 with Andy Dalton at quarterback.
The Colts (12-5) head to AFC West winner Denver (12-4) next Sunday, giving Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning another shot at his former team and the QB who replaced him."
"Andrew Luck stood tall, even as he was falling down Sunday.
The Colts quarterback threw for 376 yards and a game-changing touchdown as he was headed to the turf. Daniel 'Boom' Herron ran for another score as Indianapolis dominated the second half to beat Cincinnati 26-10 in the wild-card round."
---ESPN, January 4, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Dallas Cowboys Defeated the Detroit Lions, 24 to 20
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Dallas wideout Terrance Williams running for a touchdown against Detroit in an NFC playoff game, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray celebrating a touchdown against the Detroit Lions, January 4, 2015
"Tony Romo has a stirring playoff comeback to go with all the late-season disappointments.
Romo threw two touchdown passes to Terrance Williams, the second for the lead late in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Cowboys rallied for a 24-20 wild-card win over Detroit on Sunday in their first playoff game in five years.
The Cowboys (13-4) wiped out an early two-touchdown deficit to earn a trip to Green Bay, their first postseason visit there since a heartbreaking loss to the Packers in the Ice Bowl in 1967. The Packers opened at 5.5-point favorites over the Cowboys in next Sunday's NFC divisional matchup."
---ESPN, January 4, 2015
Jerry Brown Began His Fourth Term as Governor of California
January 5, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Reuters photo of California Governor Jerry Brown (Democrat) at the state Capitol in Sacramento, January 5, 2015
"Democrat Jerry Brown, who turned around California's finances after years of deficits, vowed to keep a tight rein on spending as he was sworn in on Monday for a record fourth term at the helm of the nation's most populous state.
Brown, currently serving a second stint as governor, first served two terms from 1975 to 1983 and then returned to the governorship in 2011. He easily defeated Republican challenger Neel Kashkari to win re-election in November.
Brown, the 76-year-old son of the late California Governor Edmund G. 'Pat' Brown, has forcefully steered the heavily Democratic state on a centrist path since voters returned him to the governorship."
---Reuters, January 5, 2015
Oil Prices Decline: The Dow Jones Industrial Average Lost 331 Points, Closing at 17,501
January 5, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 331 points, closing at 17,501 on January 5, 2015
114th Congress Convenes: Republican Party Took Control of Both the House and Senate
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters photo of Speaker of the House John Boehner (Republican) wielding the gavel, January 6, 2015; Reuters photo of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell (Senate Majority Leader) being sworn in to another Senate term by Vice President Joe Biden, January 6, 2015
"John Boehner narrowly won a third term as House of Representatives Speaker on Tuesday, surviving a stiff challenge from 25 conservative Republicans that may signal a growing split in the party as it takes full control of Congress.
Boehner received 216 of 408 votes cast in a tense vote, with a growing faction of dissident House Republicans opposing him because they said he had done too little to cut spending and fight President Barack Obama's immigration and healthcare policies.
The last time that more than 25 House members voted against a Speaker candidate from their own party came in 1859, according to congressional historians.
The number of Republican defectors was more than twice the dozen who withheld their support from him in an election two years ago, evidence of the stark party divisions that could make it hard to pass legislation, including bills to keep government agencies operating without interruption."
---Reuters, January 6, 2015
Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters photo of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell talking to reporters, January 6, 2015
"Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in federal prison and two years of probation for taking a bribe from a businessman seeking to promote a dietary supplement.
McDonnell, the first Virginia governor to be convicted of bribe-taking, received a shorter sentence than that sought by prosecutors for accepting sweetheart loans and lavish gifts from entrepreneur Jonnie Williams.
McDonnell, once a rising star in the Republican Party, was convicted in September along with his estranged wife, Maureen, after a five-week trial that laid bare rifts in their marriage and marred Virginia's reputation for clean government. McDonnell left office in January 2014."
"Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell has been sentenced to 24 months in a minimum security prison for his corruption conviction on 11 different counts related to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Judge James Spencer issued the sentence after hearing brief arguments from lawyers and testimony from 11 character witnesses. In addition to the expected testimony about his good character, witnesses included faith-based non-profit leaders who asked the judge to allow McDonnell to serve with their organizations instead of in prison. A member of the House of Delegates testified that the conviction itself was a sufficient deterrent for other lawmakers, rather than a harsh sentence.
The charges against the former governor and his wife Maureen McDonnell stemmed from favors they gave to Jonnie Williams, a vitamin company CEO, in exchange for over $165,000 in gifts and loans. Maureen McDonnell was convicted on eight out of 11 conspiracy charges."
"U.S. District Judge James Spencer on Tuesday sentenced former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to two years in prison for political corruption, the latest chapter in the spectacular fall of one of the Republican Party’s former rising stars.
In September, McDonnell was convicted on 11 counts of corruption in a case that exposed how he and his wife, Maureen, conspired to promote a dietary supplement marketed by Jonnie R. Williams, Sr. in exchange for $177,000 in loans, vacations, and other gifts from the Richmond businessman. Maureen McDonnell, who was convicted on eight counts, will be sentenced on February 20."
---Salon.com, January 6, 2015
The Dow Fell Another 130 Points to Close at 17,371
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a Dow Jones Industrial Average decline of 130 points, closing at 17,371 on January 6, 2015
"Boko Haram militants have killed dozens of people and burned down homes in the northeast Nigerian town of Baga in the past two days, in a second killing spree since seizing control there at the weekend, witnesses said on Thursday.
Two locals said the Islamist insurgents began shooting indiscriminately and burning buildings on Tuesday evening in raids on the civilian population that carried on into Wednesday.
'I escaped with my family in the car after seeing how Boko Haram was killing people ... I saw bodies in the street. Children and women, some were crying for help,' Mohamed Bukar told Reuters after fleeing to the state capital Maiduguri.
The insurgency killed more than 10,000 people last year, according to a count by the Council on Foreign Relations in November. It is seen as the gravest threat to Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, and a headache for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of an election on Feb. 14.
Soldiers fled Baga over the weekend when the Sunni jihadist group overran a nearby army base.
The district head of Baga, Abba Hassan, said on Thursday that at least 100 people were killed when the group first took over the town on the edge of Lake Chad."
---Reuters, January 8, 2015
Terrorist Attack in Paris, France: Jihadists Kill Several at Charlie Hebdo Office
January 7, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters photo of two Jihadist gunmen after conducting a massacre in the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, France, January 7, 2015
Above: BBC map and graphic showing the location of the terrorist attack on the Paris, France office of Charlie Hebdo
Above: Reuters photo of French emergency workers tending to a terrorist attack victim in Paris, January 7, 2015; Internet meme declaring "Je Suis Charlie" (i.e. I am Charlie) in solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack, January 7, 2015
Above: Cover of Charlie Hebdo featuring a cartoon of Mitt Romney;AP 2012 photo of Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, the publishing director of Charlie Hebdo, who was killed in the Jihadist attack on January 7, 2015
Above: 2007 cover of Charlie Hebdo cover featuring a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim figure together declaring that "Charlie Hebdo must be veiled!"
Above: BBC composite of five of the victims slain in the Charlie Hebdo Massacre
Above: Getty Images photo of someone in a Parisian cafe reading the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo, January 7, 2015; Front page of the New York Post, January 8, 2015
"Hooded gunmen stormed the Paris offices of a weekly satirical magazine renowned for lampooning radical Islam, killing at least 12 people, including two police officers in the worst militant attack on French soil in recent decades.
One of the men was captured on video shouting 'Allah!' as four shots rang out. Two assailants are then seen calmly leaving the scene and remain at large.
Charlie Hebdo (Charlie Weekly) is renowned for courting controversy with satirical attacks on political and religious leaders and has published numerous cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammad. The last tweet on its account mocked Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the militant Islamic State, which has taken control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria."
"Masked gunmen shouting 'Allahu akbar!' stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing 12 people before escaping. It was France's deadliest terror attack in at least two decades.
With a manhunt on, French President Francois Hollande called the attack on the Charlie Hebdo weekly, whose caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed have frequently drawn condemnation from Muslims, 'a terrorist attack without a doubt.' He said several other attacks have been thwarted in France 'in recent weeks.'"
---Associated Press, January 7, 2015
The Dow Bounces Back, a Bit
January 7, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 212 points on January 7, 2015, closing at 17,584
The Charlie Hebdo Terrorist Attack in Paris, France: 18-Year Old Surrenders; Two Suspects at-Large
January 7-8, 2015 (Wednesday-Thursday)
Above: BBC photos of Cherif Kouachi (Left) and Said Kouachi, two at-large suspects in the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack
"An 18-year old man sought by police over Wednesday's shooting attack at satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo handed himself voluntarily to police in northeastern France, an official at the Paris prosecutor's office said.
Police are hunting three French nationals, including brothers Said Kouachi, born in 1980; Cherif Kouachi, born in 1982; and Hamyd Mourad born in 1996, after suspected Islamist gunmen killed 12 people.
The official, who declined to identify the man, said he had turned himself in at a police station in Charleville-Mézières, in northeastern France at around 2300 GMT."
The Charlie Hebdo Massacre: Manhunt in France for the Brothers Kouachi
January 8, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP copy of French law enforcement images of Cherif Kouachi and Said Kouachi; AP photo of President of France Francois Hollande (center) leading a moment of silence in Paris, January 8, 2015
"Scattered gunfire and explosions shook France on Thursday as its frightened yet defiant citizens held a day of mourning for 12 people slain at a Paris newspaper. French police hunted two heavily armed brothers suspected in the massacre, fearing they might strike again.
The two suspects — one a former pizza deliveryman who had a prior terror conviction and a fondness for rap —should be considered 'armed and dangerous,' French police said in a bulletin.
French President Francois Hollande — joined by residents, tourists and Muslim leaders — called for tolerance after the country's worst terrorist attack in decades. At noon, the Paris metro came to a standstill and a crowd fell silent near Notre Dame cathedral to honor Wednesday's victims.
'France has been struck directly in the heart of its capital, in a place where the spirit of liberty — and thus of resistance — breathed freely,' Hollande said.
France's prime minister said the possibility of a new attack 'is our main concern' and announced several overnight arrests. Tensions ran high in Paris, where 800 extra police patrolled schools, places of worship and transit hubs. Britain increased its security checks at ports and borders."
---Associated Press, January 8, 2015
Above: Cover of the January 19, 2015 issue of The New Yorker;Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, Cartoonist and Editor; Georges Wolinski, Cartoonist; Jean "Cabu" Cabut, Cartoonist; Bernard "Tignous" Verlhac, Cartoonist
"The four cartoonists killed in the offices of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical French newspaper, represented a radical, crude and vital strain of that nation’s culture, according to those who knew them and followed their work.
The men — Stéphane Charbonnier, Georges Wolinski, Jean Cabut and Bernard Verlhac — were among 12 people killed in the attack Wednesday.The newspaper had been insistent on publishing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which are banned under some interpretations of Islamic law, and by Wednesday evening, French officials had suggested that the attack had been carried out by Islamic extremists.
Daniel Leconte, a filmmaker who was making a documentary about the cartoonists, said they were 'like columnists in a very important journal.'"
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Gained 323 Points, and Closed at 17,907
January 8, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow gaining 323 points and closing at 17,907 on January 8, 2015
Terrorism in France: Two Hostage Situations
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
About: Images released by French authorities of two people believed to be connected to a hostage situation in Paris, January 9, 2015; Reuters photo of French special police forces in Paris, January 9, 2015
"Terrorists linked to each other seized hostages at two locations around Paris on Friday, facing off against hundreds of French security forces as the city shut down a famed Jewish neighborhood and scrambled to protect residents and tourists from further attacks.
France has been high alert for more attacks since the country's worst terror attack in decades — the massacre Wednesday in Paris at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead.
The two sets of hostage-takers apparently know each other, said a police official who was not authorized to discuss the rapidly developing situations with the media.
The Paris mayor's office immediately announced the closure of all shops along Rosiers Street in the city's famed Marais neighborhood in the heart of the tourist district. Hours before the Jewish Sabbath, the street is usually crowded with shoppers — French Jews and tourists alike. The street is also only a kilometer (.06 miles) away from Charlie Hebdo's offices.
Two brothers linked to al-Qaida grabbed a hostage early Friday and were cornered by police inside a printing house in Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris. They are believed responsible for the attack that decimated Charlie Hebdo's staff and left two police officers dead.
In addition, the police official said a gunman holding at least five hostages Friday inside a kosher grocery store in eastern Paris is believed responsible for the roadside killing of a Paris policewoman on Thursday. Authorities released a photo of him and a female accomplice but were unclear about her whereabouts."
---Associated Press, January 9, 2015
Monthly Jobs Report:
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
Above: CNN chart showing U.S. job creation numbers from December 2013 through December 2014; President Barack Obama
French Forces Bring Two Hostage Situations to an End
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
Above: BBC photos of Cherif and Said Kouachi, two brothers suspected of carrying out the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, and who evidently were killed during an assault by French forces on January 9, 2015
Above: USA Today photo of Amedy Coulibaly;CBS News screen grab showing President of France Francois Hollande speaking about the terrorism and hostage situations, January 9, 2015
"The French police on Friday killed the two brothers suspected of murdering 12 people at a Paris newspaper on Wednesday and freed their hostage unharmed, the authorities said.
The police launched a simultaneous raid on a kosher supermarket in Paris where an alleged associate of the brothers was holding a number of other hostages. At least some of those hostages escaped unharmed, according to the police."
"Two brothers suspected of attacking the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo were killed when police stormed their hideout on Friday while their hostage was freed, a police official said.
However, a police source said at least four other hostages had been killed at a separate siege at a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris.
The two brothers died when security forces moved in on a print works in the small town of Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, where the chief suspects in Wednesday's attack had been holed up with their hostage.
A police source said the hostage-taker at the Jewish supermarket, who is believed to have had links to the same Islamist group as the brothers, had also been killed.
The print works at Dammartin-en-Goele, set in marsh and woodland, had been under siege since the gunmen abandoned a high-speed car chase and took refuge there early on Friday."
---Reuters, January 9, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The New England Patriots Defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 35 to 31
January 10, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of New England quarterback Tom Brady passing against the Baltimore Ravens in AFC playoff action, January 10, 2015
"Tom Brady's third touchdown pass gave New England its first lead with about five minutes remaining and the Patriots reached their fourth straight AFC championship game with a 35-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
Justin Tucker had given the Ravens a 31-28 lead on a 25-yard field goal with 10:17 left. Then Brady directed a masterful 74-yard drive. He completed eight of nine passes for 72 yards -- and ran for a first down -- and put the Patriots ahead with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell.
The top-seeded Patriots (13-4) will face the winner of Sunday's game between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts in the conference title game next Sunday. The sixth-seeded Ravens (11-7) had won two of three playoff games in Foxborough over the past five seasons."
---ESPN, January 10, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Seattle Seahawks Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 31 to 17
"This time Russell Wilson did it with his arm, passing the Seattle Seahawks into the NFC championship game for the second straight year with a big assist from Kam Chancellor.
The Seahawks are one step closer to defending their Super Bowl title.
Wilson threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, Chancellor returned an interception 90 yards for a TD midway through the fourth quarter and the Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 on Saturday night in an NFC divisional playoff game.
Wilson was nearly flawless in one of the best playoff performances of his young career. He took shots downfield and was hard to stop on third downs."
"Islamic State militants have killed at least 24 members of the Kurdish security forces in a surprise attack in northern Iraq, Kurdish officials said, in one of the deadliest single battles for the Kurds since last summer.
Three Kurdish officers reported continued clashes with Islamic State on Sunday, one day after the deaths, near Gwer, a town some 40km (25 miles) southwest of the autonomous Kurdish region's capital Arbil.
Kurdish-controlled Gwer is likely to be a launch-pad for any future attempt by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to retake Mosul, the biggest city in northern Iraq which Islamic State seized last June.
Islamic State militants crossed the river Zab in small boats on Friday night and entered Gwer, but were driven back by Kurdish peshmerga forces, the officers said."
---Reuters, January 11, 2015
In a Show of National Solidarity in the Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks, Millions March in France
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Reuters photo President of France Francois Hollande (hands pointed out) standing with other heads of state, including Germany's Angela Merkel, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas; Reuters photo of unity demonstrators on a Parisian monument, January 11, 2015
Above: AP photo of a massive crowd in the unity rally in Paris, France, January 11, 2015; AP photo of President of France Francois Hollande flanked by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, Mali's Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Germany's Angela Merkel, the European Union's Donald Tusk, and Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas
Above: AP photo of unity demonstrators atop a monument at the Place de la Nation in Paris, January 11, 2015
"World leaders including Muslim and Jewish statesmen linked arms to lead more than a million French citizens through Paris in an unprecedented march to pay tribute to victims of Islamist militant attacks.
Commentators said the last time crowds of this size filled the streets of the capital was at the Liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany in 1944.
President Francois Hollande and leaders from Germany, Italy, Turkey, Britain as well as Israel and the Palestinian territories moved off from the central Place de la Republique ahead of a sea of French and other flags.
Seventeen people, including journalists and police, were killed in three days of violence that began on Wednesday with a shooting attack on the political weekly Charlie Hebdo, known for its satirical attacks on Islam and other religions.
Giant letters attached to a statue in the square spelt out the word 'Pourquoi?' (Why?) and small groups sang the 'La Marseillaise' national anthem.
'Paris is today the capital of the world. Our entire country will rise up and show its best side,' Hollande said."
"More than a million people surged through the boulevards of Paris behind dozens of world leaders walking arm-in-arm Sunday in a rally for unity described as the largest demonstration in French history. Millions more marched around the country and the world to repudiate three days of terror that killed 17 people and changed France.
Amid intense security and with throngs rivaling those that followed the liberation of Paris from the Nazis, the city became 'the capital of the world' for a day, on a planet increasingly vulnerable to such cruelty.
More than 40 world leaders headed the somber procession — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas; Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — setting aside their differences with a common rallying cry: We stand together against barbarity, and we are all Charlie.
At least 1.2 million to 1.6 million people streamed slowly through the streets behind them and across France to mourn the victims of deadly attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a kosher supermarket and police officers — violence that tore deep into the nation's sense of security in a way some compared to Sept. 11 in the United States."
---Associated Press, January 11, 2015
French Jihadist Terrorist Amedy Coulibaly Revealed in Video as an ISIS Loyalist
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Reuters January 11, 2015 photo taken from undated video showing Amedy Coulibaly--a Jihadist terrorist who killed hostages at a Jewish deli on January 9, 2015--declaring his fealty to ISIS; USA Today photo of Amedy Coulibaly, a French Jihadist killed by French forces on January 9, 2015
Above: AP photos taken from a January 11, 2015 video posting purporting to show recently slain French Jihadist proclaiming his allegiance to ISIS
"One of three gunmen behind the worst militant attacks in France for decades appeared in a video released online on Sunday, declaring his allegiance to the Islamic State armed group and urging French Muslims to follow his example.
In the seven-minute video apparently intended for release after the actions, Amedy Coulibaly, who staged the attack on a Jewish deli, said the planned assaults on a satirical journal and a Jewish target were justified by French military interventions overseas.
A French anti-terrorist police source said there was no doubt it was Coulibaly in the French-language recording.
Seventeen victims were killed in three days of violence that began with an attack on the Charlie Hebdo weekly on Wednesday and ended with Friday's dual sieges at a print works outside Paris and a kosher supermarket in the city.
French security forces killed Coulibaly, 32, on Friday after he planted explosives at the Paris deli in a siege that claimed the lives of four hostages. They also shot dead two brothers behind the Hebdo killings, Said and Cherif Kouachi, after they took refuge in the print works.
The Kouachi brothers said they were aligned to al Qaeda, which competes for influence with Islamic State among militant Islamists."
"Two days after his death, a video emerged Sunday of one of the Paris gunmen pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, while his two fellow militants have claimed to be from al-Qaida — a fiercely rival extremist organization.
That seeming contradiction has raised questions about the connections among the three French attackers, whether they acted with the direct involvement or knowledge of the networks, and whether their friendship allowed them to put aside the rift between the groups.
The Islamic State group does not cooperate with al-Qaida's militants and actually fights them for territory in a side conflict of Syria's civil war.
In video verified by the SITE Intelligence Group, Amedy Coulibaly said he had worked in coordination with Said and Cherif Kouachi, the 'brothers from our team,' who carried out the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.
'We did things a bit together and a bit apart, so that it'd have more impact,' he said in fluent French, adding that he had helped the brothers financially with 'a few thousand euros' for the operation. The video also showed him doing pushups, and featured automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition. He spoke beneath the black-and-white flag used by many Islamic militants."
---Associated Press, January 11, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Green Bay Packers Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 26 to 21
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC playoff game, January 11, 2015
"No need for ice and wind and record low temperatures. Even in relatively balmy conditions for Green Bay, and with a somewhat stationary All-Pro quarterback, the Packers survived against the Dallas Cowboys.
Green Bay rallied from an 8-point deficit as Aaron Rodgers threw for two second-half touchdowns to beat Dallas 26-21 Sunday. The Packers (13-4), helped immensely by a video reversal with 4:06 remaining, went undefeated at Lambeau Field this season. They head to Seattle next weekend for the NFC title game."
---ESPN, January 11, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Indianapolis Colts Defeated the Denver Broncos, 24 to 13
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck running around Denver Broncos defender DeMarcus Ware, AFC Playoff Game, January 11, 2015
"Andrew Luck has his signature NFL win, and it came against his predecessor, at that.
Hardly pressured all afternoon, Luck threw two touchdown passes and led the Indianapolis Colts past Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 24-13 Sunday.
The Colts (13-5) advanced to the AFC championship game at New England (13-4), which beat Baltimore 35-31 Saturday night."
---ESPN, January 11, 2015
College Football Playoff Championship Game: Ohio State Defeated Oregon, 42 to 20
January 12, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of an Ohio State runner carrying the ball against Oregon, January 12, 2015; AP photo of Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot running for a touchdown against Oregon in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, January 12, 2015
"Ohio State was done when Braxton Miller got hurt in August.
Ohio State was done when it lost at home to Virginia Tech in September.
Ohio State was done when J.T. Barrett got hurt in November.
A funny thing happened: Every time the Buckeyes looked done, they kept getting better. And in the new era of college football, that was enough to earn a chance to win a championship.
They took advantage of an opportunity they never would have had in the BCS, shrugging off questions about if they belonged among the college football's final four. Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott and the Buckeyes won the first College Football Playoff national championship, upsetting Marcus Mariota and Oregon 42-20 on Monday night.
Behind their bullish backup quarterback Jones and the relentless running of Elliott, the Buckeyes (14-1) completed a remarkable in-season turnaround with a dominating performance against the Ducks (13-2)."
---Associated Press, January 13, 2015
Charlie HebdoStaffers Reveal New Issue
January 13, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Luz at a Paris, France press conference, January 13, 2015; AP photo of Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Luz being comforted by an editor and columnist at a Paris, France press conference, January 13, 2015
"Charlie Hebdo released a new version of its irreverent and often offensive newspaper Tuesday, defiantly putting a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad on the cover that drew immediate criticism and threats of more violence.
The newspaper also skewered other religions, and ran a double-page spread illustrating Sunday's march in Paris that drew more than a million people to condemn terrorism, claiming that the turnout was larger "than for Mass."
'For the past week, Charlie, an atheist newspaper, has achieved more miracles than all the saints and prophets combined,' it said in the lead editorial. 'The one we are most proud of is that you have in your hands the newspaper that we always made.'
Charlie Hebdo planned an unprecedented print run of 3 million copies Wednesday — one week to the day after the assault by two masked gunmen that killed 12 people, including much of its editorial staff and two police officers. It was the beginning of three days of terror that saw 17 people killed before the three Islamic extremist attackers were gunned down by security forces.
Surviving staff members are now using the offices of the Liberation newspaper, which has loaned out space.
The latest cover shows a weeping Muhammad, holding a sign reading 'I am Charlie' with the words 'All is forgiven' above him."
---Associated Press, January 13, 2015
France Cracks Down on Perceived Threats, and the Latest Issue of Charlie Hebdo Goes on Sale
January 14, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters (via Time) photo of Al Qaeda in Yemen leader making a video statement regarding the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, January 14, 2015 video release
Above: AP photo of people lined up in a Paris, Francenewsstand to buy the newly released issue of Charlie Hebdo, January 14, 2015
"France ordered prosecutors around the country to crack down on hate speech, anti-Semitism and glorifying terrorism and announced Wednesday it was sending an aircraft carrier to the Mideast to work more closely with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants.
Authorities said 54 people had been arrested for hate speech and defending terrorism in the last week. The crackdown came as Charlie Hebdo's defiant new issue sold out before dawn around Paris, with scuffles at kiosks over dwindling copies of the satirical weekly that fronted the Prophet Muhammad anew on its cover.
After terror attacks killed 20 people in Paris last week, including three gunmen, President Francois Hollande said the situation 'justifies the presence of our aircraft carrier.' One of the gunmen claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group.
France is already carrying out airstrikes against the extremist group in Iraq. Hollande spoke aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to members of France's military.
Since the attacks, France has deployed 10,000 troops and 120,000 security forces in an area the size of Texas to protect sensitive sites, including Jewish schools and synagogues, mosques and travel hubs.
France has been tightening security and searching for accomplices since the terror attacks began, but none of the 54 people mentioned Wednesday have been linked to the attacks. That's raising questions about whether Hollande's Socialist government is impinging on the very freedom of speech that it so vigorously defends when it comes to Charlie Hebdo."
"The first edition of Charlie Hebdo after an attack by Islamist gunmen sold out within minutes on Wednesday, featuring a cartoon of a tearful Prophet Mohammad on a cover that defenders called a moving work of art but critics saw as a new provocation.
French readers queued up at dawn for copies to show support for the newspaper, even as al Qaeda's branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it ordered the killings because it deemed the weekly had insulted the Prophet.
Across the Middle East, Muslim leaders who have denounced the attack on the newspaper called for calm, while criticizing its decision to publish a fresh caricature of Mohammad.
Millions of copies of the 'survivors' edition' were printed in France, dwarfing the normal print run of 60,000. On the cover, a tearful Muhammad carried a sign reading 'Je suis Charlie,' below the headline 'All is forgiven.'"
"Yemen's al-Qaida branch on Wednesday confirmed it carried out last week's deadly assault on a French satirical newspaper to avenge cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, as it called for unity among jihadi ranks and vowed more attacks on the West.
In an 11-minute video posted on the group's Twitter account, Nasr al-Ansi, a top commander of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, said the attack on the office of the Charlie Hebdo weekly —in which two gunmen massacred 12 people — was in 'revenge for the prophet.'
He warned of more 'tragedies and terror' in the future, saying 'you will look for peace and stability but you will not find it because of the deeds of those carrying out martyrdom operations and heroes of lone jihad.'
Al-Ansi said AQAP 'chose the target, laid out the plan and financed the operation.' He said the radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in September 2011, had arranged the attack.
If confirmed, that would mean the Paris attack was years in the making. But Al-Ansi produced no evidence to support his claims, leaving lingering questions over the exact relationship between the attackers and the militant group's leadership in Yemen.
U.S. intelligence officials say they have no evidence AQAP coordinated the attack or knew about it in advance. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss classified matters publicly.
An AQAP member told The Associated Press Friday that the group was responsible, but the video contained the first official claim.
The statement emerged as Charlie Hebdo defiantly released a new issue with a caricature of the prophet on the cover, with copies selling out before dawn across Paris."
"Prosecutors filed charges of rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury and battery resulting in bodily injury against Indianapolis Colts backup linebacker Josh McNary on Wednesday.
Early Thursday morning, an attorney for McNary released a statement saying his client 'unhesitatingly' denied the allegations and had immediately reported Wednesday night to law enforcement officials in a 'respectful and peaceful' manner.
According to the probable cause affidavit, two Indianapolis police officers said a 29-year-old woman accused an unknown man they later determined to be McNary of attacking her in the early-morning hours of Dec. 1. Police, according to the report, determined the man was McNary after investigating a cellphone the woman claimed she took from the man's apartment."
"Belgian police killed two men who opened fire on them during one of about a dozen raids on Thursday against an Islamist group that federal prosecutors said was about to launch 'terrorist attacks on a grand scale.'
Coming a week after Islamist gunmen killed 17 people in Paris, the incident fueled fears across Europe of young Muslims returning radicalised from Syria. But the Belgian probe had been under way before the Jan. 7 attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and officials saw no obvious link between the two.
A third man was detained in the eastern city of Verviers, where police commandos ran into a hail of gunfire after trying to gain entry to an apartment above a town center bakery. All three were citizens of Belgium, which has one of the biggest concentrations of European Islamists fighting in Syria."
---Reuters, January 15, 2015
During Philippines Trip, Pope Francis Re-Affirms Traditional Catholic Doctrine on Birth Control
January 16, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photos of Pope Francis in Manila, Philippines, January 16, 2015
"Pope Francis issued his strongest defense yet of church teaching opposing artificial contraception on Friday, using a rally in Asia's largest Catholic nation to urge families to be 'sanctuaries of respect for life.'
Francis also denounced the corruption that has plagued the Philippines for decades and urged officials to instead work to end its 'scandalous' poverty and social inequalities during his first full day in Manila, where he received a rock star's welcome at every turn.
Security was tighter than it has ever been for this pope, who relishes plunging into crowds. Cellphone service around the city was intentionally jammed for a second day on orders of the National Telecommunications Commission and roadblocks along Francis' motorcade route snarled traffic for miles (kilometers).
Police vans followed his motorcade while officers formed human chains in front of barricades to hold back the tens of thousands of wildly cheering Filipinos who packed boulevards for hours just for a glimpse of his four-door Volkswagen passing by.
Police said another 86,000 gathered outside one of Manila's biggest sports arenas, capacity 20,000, where Francis held his first encounter with the Filipino masses: a meeting with families. There, he firmly upheld church teaching opposing artificial contraception and endeared himself to the crowd with off-the-cuff jokes and even a well-intentioned attempt at sign language."
---Associated Press, January 16, 2015
NCAA Restores Penn State Football Victories: Joe Paterno is All-Time Winningest Major College Football Coach Once Again
January 16, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Joe Paterno after leading Penn State to victory for the 409th time, October 29, 2011; AP photo of Penn State students in State College, Pennsylvania celebrating the restoration of 111 Joe Paterno football victories from 1998-2011, January 16, 2015
Above: AP photo of on-campus Penn State students celebrating with a cardboard image of Joe Paterno in the wake of the NCAA's restoration of 111 Paterno football wins from 1998-2011, January 16, 2015; AP photo of Joe Paterno's grave, State College, Pennsylvania, January 16, 2015
Above: AP photo of Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno celebrating a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, a win resulting in his first national championship, January 1, 1983; AP photo of Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno celebrating a Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami, a win resulting in his second national championship, January 2, 1987
"Penn State's football team is getting back 112 wins wiped out during the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal, and the late Joe Paterno has been restored as the winningest coach in major college football history.
The NCAA announced the new settlement with the school Friday, weeks before a scheduled trial on the legality of the 2012 consent decree it will replace. The new deal also directs a $60 million fine to address child abuse be spent within Pennsylvania and resolves that lawsuit."
"The NCAA agreed Friday to restore 112 football wins it had stripped from Penn State and Joe Paterno in the Jerry Sandusky child-molestation scandal and to reinstate the venerated late coach as the winningest in major college football history.
The agreement, swiftly approved by the boards of the NCAA and the university after intermittent talks heated up this week, lifts the last of the sanctions imposed in 2012 and wipes away the black marks that had tainted one of the nation's most celebrated college athletics programs.
After more than two years of criticism that the NCAA had overstepped its authority, officials with college sports' governing body did not back down. Instead, they said they were focused on ending litigation that had held up distribution of the university's $60 million fine to fund child abuse-prevention programs.
Before the deal, the NCAA had agreed last year to eliminate some of the sanctions, including reinstating Penn State's full complement of scholarships and letting the team participate in post-season play.
Friday's agreement threw out the rest of the sanctions, including eliminating a five-year probation period and scholarship and transfer rules, and restoring the wins that had been wiped out. It also bowed to Pennsylvania officials' desire to see the $60 million fine spent in Pennsylvania, not spread to abuse-prevention programs around the nation.
The pact emerged just days after a federal judge declined to rule on the constitutionality of the sanctions and weeks before a Pennsylvania court was to hold a trial on the legality of the penalties."
"Protesters also demonstrated in front of the French Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as in the Pakistani city of Karachi. In Egypt, the Islamist Noor Party denounced the latest Charlie Hebdo cover on its French-language Facebook page. 'Just as the Noor Party rejects the assault on civilians and the negative effects it has for all Muslims of Europe, it also rejects this barbaric, irresponsible act under the name of freedom of expression,' the statement declared.
In Gaza City, the capital of the Gaza Strip, unknown vandals scrawled graffiti on the walls of the French Cultural Center. In addition to statements praising the Prophet Muhammad and declaring him off-limits for ridicule or satire, the vandals also wrote: 'To hell, to a miserable destiny, French journalists.'"
---Associated Press, January 17, 2015
Protests in Niger Against Charlie Hebdo
January 17, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Reuters photo of man in Niger holding copy of the Koran during protest against Charlie Hebdo, Saturday, January 17, 2015; Reuters photo of protesters in Niamey, Niger, Saturday, January 17, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of protester in Niamey, Niger holding a sign proclaiming "Je ne suis pas Charlie" (I am not Charlie), Saturday, January 17, 2015; Reuters photo of an image of the January 11, 2015 French unity rally displayed on the Beaubourg Pompidou Centre in Paris, France, January 17, 2015
"At least three people were killed on Saturday in protests in Niger against French newspaper Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, police sources said, bringing the death toll from two days of violence in the West African country to eight.
Police fired teargas at crowds of stone-throwing Muslim youths who set fire to churches and looted shops in the capital Niamey after authorities banned a meeting called by local Islamic leaders. A police station was attacked and at least two police cars burned.
The police sources said two charred bodies were found inside a burned church on the outskirts of Niamey on Saturday, while the body of a woman was found in a bar. She was believed to have been suffocated by teargas and smoke, they said.
At least six churches were burned or looted. Calm returned in the afternoon but a demonstration called for on Sunday by opposition groups could revive the tension."
"The famed French weekly Charlie Hebdo has continued to draw a somewhat contradictory reaction across the Muslim world. Many Muslims have expressed disgust at the deadly assault on the magazine's Paris office by Islamic extremists who killed 12 people. However many also remain deeply offended by the magazine's record of publishing cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad. Those passions were further inflamed this week when the magazine's first issue following the attack carried a cover cartoon depicting Muhammad holding a 'Je Suis Charlie' sign.
According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous.
In the West African nation of Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou said at least 10 people have been killed after violent protests broke out against the latest cartoon depicting Muhammad in the French publication.
Issoufou said that five deaths were reported after demonstrations in the capital of Niamey on Saturday. The victims were inside churches and bars that were set ablaze, he said. On Friday, at least five people were killed in the town of Zinder after prayer services there."
---Associated Press, January 17, 2015
Suspected Boko Haram Guerrillas Crossed Into Cameroon and Kidnapped Dozens
"Suspected Boko Haram Islamist fighters from Nigeria kidnapped around 80 people, many of them children, and killed three others on Sunday in a cross-border attack on villages in northern Cameroon, army and government officials said.
The group, which has killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in its bid to carve out an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has also targeted Cameroon and Niger over the past year as it seeks to expand its zone of operations.
Sunday's kidnappings, among the largest abductions on Cameroonian soil, came as neighbouring Chad deployed troops to support Cameroon's forces in the area.
'According to our initial information, around 30 adults, most of them herders, and 50 young girls and boys aged between 10 and 15 years were abducted,' a senior army officer deployed to northern Cameroon told Reuters.
He said the early-morning attack had targeted the village of Mabass and other villages along the porous border. Soldiers intervened and exchanged fire with the raiders for around two hours, he added."
---Reuters, January 18, 2015
NFC Championship Game: Seattle Seahawks Defeated the Green Bay Packers in Overtime, 28 to 22
January 18, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Seattle receiver Luke Wilson catching a 2-point conversion pass as Green Bay's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix chases, NFC Championship Game, January 18, 2015; Getty Images photo of Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse hauling in an overtime game-winning touchdown pass in the NFC Championship Game versus Green Bay, January 18, 2015
"Never doubt the resilience of the Seattle Seahawks.
Plagued by turnovers and outplayed much of Sunday by Green Bay, the Seahawks staged an improbable comeback and beat the Packers 28-22 in overtime. Russell Wilson, who struggled until the final minutes, hit Jermaine Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown 3:19 into the extra period to end the game."
"Russell Wilson fired a 35-yard touchdown strike to Jermaine Kearse in overtime to give the Seattle Seahawks a stunning 28-22 comeback win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and seal a return trip to the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks, bidding to become the first team in a decade to win back-to-back Super Bowls, will now await the winner of Sunday's AFC final between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.
Trailing 19-7 the Seahawks scored 15 points in 44 seconds late in the fourth quarter, Wilson and Marshawn Lynch each powering their way into the end zone for touchdowns before a two-point conversion put Seattle ahead 22-19."
---Reuters, January 18, 2015
AFC Championship Game: New England Patriots Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 45 to 7
January 18, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of a New England receiver carrying the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, January 18, 2015
"Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are headed to a special place where no coach or player has gone more -- the Super Bowl.
They earned their trip with the second most lopsided AFC championship victory ever.
The New England Patriots dominant duo earned a sixth trip to the Super Bowl with a 45-7 wipeout of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game before a raucous, rain-soaked crowd Sunday night.
The Patriots tied Dallas and Pittsburgh for most appearances in the big game with eight.
Scoring touchdowns on their first four second-half possessions, the Patriots (14-4) moved on to face defending champion Seattle (14-4) for the NFL title on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Belichick will face Pete Carroll, whom he replaced as Patriots coach 2000. The Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers 28-22 in overtime in the NFC title game."
---ESPN, January 18, 2015
Unrest in Yemen
January 19, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photos of anti-government Houthi Shiite rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015
Above: AP photo of a line of chanting Houthi Shiite rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015; AP photo of Houthi Shiite rebels near presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015
Above: AP map and graphic regarding unrest in Yemen
"A cease-fire halted intense clashes near the presidential palace in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Monday after Shiite rebels seized control of state-run media in a move that one official called 'a step toward a coup.'
The fighting, centered on the palace and a military area south of it, marked the biggest challenge yet to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi by the rebels, known as Houthis, who swept down from their northern strongholds last year and captured the capital in September.
The violence has plunged the Arab world's poorest country further into chaos and could complicate U.S. efforts to battle al-Qaida's Yemeni affiliate, which claimed responsibility for the attack on a Paris satirical magazine this month and which Washington has long viewed as the global network's most dangerous branch.
The Houthis are seen by their critics as a proxy of Shiite Iran -- charges they deny -- and are believed to be allied with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, ousted in a 2012 deal after Arab Spring protests. They have vowed to eradicate al-Qaida, but are also hostile to the U.S. Their slogan is 'Death to Israel. Death to America.'
The Houthis and forces loyal to Hadi have been in a tense standoff for months in the capital and the two sides traded blame for the outbreak of violence early Monday. Witnesses said heavy machine gun fire could be heard as artillery shells struck around the presidential palace. Civilians in the area fled as columns of black smoke rose over the palace and sirens wailed throughout the city.
Hadi doesn't live at the palace, and extra soldiers and tanks deployed around his private residence, which is nearby.
The convoys of Yemen's prime minister and a top presidential adviser affiliated with the Houthis came under fire, while Houthi fighters took over Yemen state television and its official SABA news agency, Information Minister Nadia Sakkaf said."
---Associated Press, January 19, 2015
Houthi Shiite Rebels Seize Presidential Palace in Yemen
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Map of the Middle East with bold face emphasis on Yemen; AP photo of Houthi Shiite Yemeni standing guard in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
"Yemen's powerful Shiite Houthi rebels shelled the residence of the country's embattled president Tuesday and simultaneously swept into the presidential palace in the capital, Sanaa, as a top military commander warned that a full-fledged 'coup' was underway.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was inside the residence as it came under 'heavy shelling' for half an hour but he was unharmed and protected by guards, officials said. In New York, the U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting over the chaos in Sanaa.
The shelling was a dramatic development that put the U.S.-backed Hadi into a precarious position and represented the starkest challenge to his authority since the Houthis swept into Sanaa from their northern stronghold and seized the capital in September.
Information Minister Nadia al-Sakkaf posted on her Twitter account that the shelling started at 3 p.m. local time 'by armed forces positioned over rooftops facing' the president's house."
---Associated Press, January 20, 2015
President Barack Obama in Office for Six Years
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: President Barack H. Obama
President Barack Obama Delivered the Annual State of the Union Address to Congress
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of President Obama delivering the State of the Union message, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Above: Bloomberg TV photo of President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden (left), and Speaker of the House John Boehner (right) during the President's State of the Union speech, January 20, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of President Obama receiving standing applause from Vice President Biden as Speaker Boehner remains seated, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
"President Obama claimed credit on Tuesday for an improving economy and defiantly told his Republican adversaries in Congress to 'turn the page' by supporting an expensive domestic agenda aimed at improving the fortunes of the middle class.
Released from the political constraints of a sagging economy, overseas wars and elections, Mr. Obama declared in his sixth State of the Union address that 'the shadow of crisis has passed,' and he vowed to use his final two years in office fighting for programs that had taken a back seat."
---New York Times, January 20, 2015
President of Yemen Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi "Captive" in his Residence
"Shiite rebels in control of Yemen's capital now hold the country's president 'captive' at his home, his aides said Wednesday, putting in question who actually rules the Arab world's most-impoverished nation.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi 'cannot leave his house' after Houthi rebels removed his guards and deployed their own fighters there Wednesday, one aide said.
Another described the country being at the 'point of no return.' Hadi can't resign as president as the Houthis have threatened to prosecute him, that aide said. The two aides spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.
The embattled Hadi — a top U.S. ally in the war against al-Qaida in Yemen — appears to have run out of options to continue governing the country, months after the Houthis began a blitz across the country in September. It also raises the danger of al-Qaida in Yemen, which claimed the recent attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and failed assaults on the U.S. homeland, could grow more powerful in the chaos.
Advisers said Wednesday that Houthis issued a list of demands to Hadi, asking for the post of vice president and several key government offices, during a meeting Tuesday with Hadi's advisers.
The collapse of Hadi's powers is rooted in Yemen's fractured armed forces, torn between Hadi and his predecessor, deposed president Ali Abdullah Saleh."
"Yemen's president resigned Thursday, saying he had reached a 'deadlock' in talks with Shiite rebels who rule the capital and had confined him to his home. His resignation raised fears the Arab world's poorest country could again split apart, severely complicating U.S. efforts to combat al-Qaida's powerful local franchise.
Presidential officials said Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a close U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida, submitted his resignation to parliament after being pressured to make further concessions to the rebels, known as Houthis, who are widely believed to be backed by Iran, charges they deny.
The rebels effectively control the capital Sanaa, several other cities and state institutions, but their writ does not extend to vast areas of the country that are predominantly Sunni, where its recent encroachments have fanned fears of a sectarian conflict. The Houthis could also face sanctions from the international community, which strongly backed Hadi.
Yemen also has a powerful movement in the south demanding autonomy or a return to the full independence the region enjoyed prior to 1990, which is unlikely to accept rule by the Houthis, whose power base is in the north. The Houthis are Zaydis, a Shiite minority that makes up about a third of Yemen's population.
Hadi's resignation came after several rounds of negotiations over a new governing arrangement that would give the Houthis more power. Many observers suggested the Houthis would keep Hadi on as a puppet to maintain the veneer of international legitimacy."
---Associated Press, January 22, 2015
Deflategate: Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady Deny Involvement and/or Knowledge About Deflating Footballs
January 22, 2015:
Above: AP photo ofNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaking at press conference (note the ironic Gillette #FLEXBALL advertisement behind Brady), January 22, 2015
"The two men most responsible for delivering wins for the New England Patriots both said Thursday they have no explanation for how footballs used to reach the Super Bowl were underinflated by 2 pounds per square inch.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he has not been contacted by the NFL, even as league officials investigate whether the team cheated against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game.
'I don't know what happened,' Brady said, answering questions from reporters hours after Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he almost never thinks about football pressure and doesn't know what happened, either."
"New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday that he has not yet been contacted by the NFL about its investigation into underinflated footballs, adding: 'I didn't alter the ball in any way.'
In a news conference that lasted a little more than 30 minutes, Brady detailed how he selected 24 footballs for referees to inspect before Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts."
---ESPN, January 22, 2015
King of Saudi Arabia Dies at the Age of 90
January 23, 2015 (Friday): King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died on January 22, 2015 U.S. time, but it was the 23rd in Saudi Arabia.
Above: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia; AP photo of King Abdullah in 2009
Above: April2005 AP Photo of President George W. Bush walking hand-in-hand with then Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
"His changes looked minute to the outside world. But in a kingdom where ultra-conservative Muslim clerics long have held a lock on all aspects of society, King Abdullah's incremental reforms echoed mightily.
When Abdullah took the unprecedented step of opening a new university where men and women could mix in classrooms, part of his gradual campaign to modernize Saudi Arabia, grumbling arose among the hard-liners who form the bedrock of the powerful religious establishment. One sheikh dared to openly say that the mingling of genders at the king's university was 'a great sin and a great evil.'
Abdullah sent a tough signal: He fired the critic from the state-run body of clerics who set the rules for Saudi life.
As one of the world's largest oil exporters, Saudi Arabia is governed by a mix of tribal traditions and perhaps the world's strictest interpretation of Islam. Its royal family prefers to act quietly in the background, shies away from direct confrontation, avoids putting itself on the line and prefers slow-paced change to radical reform.
But Abdullah, who died Friday at the age of 90 after nearly two decades in power, acted at times with unusual forcefulness for a Saudi monarch. At home, the results were reforms, including advancements for women, that were startling — for the kingdom at least — and a heavy crackdown against al-Qaida militants. Abroad, his methods translated into a powerful assertion of Saudi Arabia's influence around the Middle East.
Backed by the kingdom's top ally, the United States, the king was aggressive in trying to put up a bulwark against the spreading power of Saudi Arabia's top rival, mainly Shiite Iran, thus shaping the Arab world along new lines — an anti-Iran camp and a pro-Iran camp."
---Associated Press, January 23, 2015
Presidential Election 2016: Jeb Bush Takes Pro-Immigration Stance
"In a sweeping speech that leaned heavily on economic policy, former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida on Friday described immigrants as the 'engine of economic vitality' before calling for a more welcoming immigration policy that could put him at odds with some in the more conservative wing of his party.
'We need to find a path to legalized status for those who have come here and have languished in the shadows,' Mr. Bush said. While not specifically calling for a path to legalization for unauthorized immigrants, Mr. Bush’s statement will probably be a topic of conversation this weekend in Iowa, as many other Republicans attend the Iowa Freedom Summit hosted by Representative Steve King, who maintains a hard-line policy against illegal immigration."
---New York Times, January 23, 2015
Presidential Election 2016: Anti-Immigration Congressman Steve King Hosts "Freedom Summit," a Forum for Potential GOP Candidates
January 24, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Reuters photo of "Freedom Summit" speaker Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Saturday, January 24, 2015; Reuters photo of "Freedom Summit" speaker Republican Ted Cruz of Texas, Saturday, January 24, 2015
Above: Associated Press photo of Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; Associated Press photo of former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa) at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
Above: APphoto of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaking at the so-called Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; AP photo of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee speaking at the so-called Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
Above: APphoto of former Texas governor Rick Perry speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; AP photo of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
"Potential Republican presidential candidates for 2016 jockeyed for support from conservatives in the early voting state of Iowa on Saturday, and some raised doubts about the prospects for party front runners Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush.
Activists attending the Iowa Freedom Summit heard criticism of President Barack Obama and fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, who traveled widely as Obama's first-term secretary of state and is likely to run."
Greek Parliamentary Elections: Leftist Syriza Party Triumphs
January 25, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Alexis Tsipras; Reuters photo of Greek leftist Syriza Party leader Alexis Tsipras arriving at a voting site in Athens, Greece, January 25, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of Syriza Party leader Alexis Tsipras casting a ballot in Athens, Greece, January 25, 2015; Reuters photo of Syriza supporters in Athens, Greece in celebration of the monumental election, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras speaking in triumph, Sunday, January 25, 2015; AP photo of a woman waving a Greek flag during the celebration of the Syriza triumph in the 2015 Greek Parliamentary Elections, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: AP photo of Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras waving to supporters in the wake of the his electoral triumph, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: Macropolis.gr graph showing the percentages of votes and numbers of seats won by the respective political parties in the 2015 Greek parliamentary elections
"Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras promised on Sunday that five years of austerity, 'humiliation and suffering' imposed by international creditors were over after his Syriza party swept to victory in a snap election on Sunday.
With about 60 percent of votes counted, Syriza was set to win 149 seats in the 300 seat parliament, with 36.1 percent of the vote, around eight points ahead of the conservative New Democracy party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
While a final result may not come for hours, the 40-year-old Tsipras is on course to become prime minister of the first euro zone government openly opposed to the kind of crippling austerity policies which the European Union and International Monetary Fund imposed on Greece as a condition of its bailout."
"A radical left-wing party vowing to end Greece's painful austerity program won a historic victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections, setting up a showdown with the country's international creditors that could shake the eurozone.
Alexis Tsipras, leader of the communist-rooted Syriza party, immediately promised to end the 'five years of humiliation and pain' that Greece has endured since an international bailout saved it from bankruptcy in 2010.
'The verdict of the Greek people ends, beyond any doubt, the vicious circle of austerity in our country,' Tsipras told a crowd of rapturous flag-waving supporters.
Syriza appeared just shy of the majority that would allow it to govern alone. With 97.6 percent of polling stations counted, Syriza had 36.4 percent — and 149 of parliament's 300 seats — versus 27.8 percent for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' conservatives.
If Tsipras, 40, can put together a government, he will be Greece's youngest prime minister in 150 years, while Syriza would be the first radical left party to ever govern the country.
The prospect of an anti-bailout government coming to power in Greece has revived fears of a bankruptcy that could reverberate across the eurozone, send shockwaves through global markets and undermine the euro, the currency shared by 19 European countries."
---Associated Press, January 25, 2015
Leftist Leader Alexis Tsipras Became Prime Minister of Greece
January 26, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of right-wing Greek Independent leader Panos Kammenos meeting with Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras on Monday, January 26, 2015
"Radical left leader Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Greece's new prime minister Monday after forming a surprise alliance with a small right-wing nationalist party Independent Greeks, signaling possible confrontation over the country's bailout.
The 40-year-old broke with tradition and took a secular oath rather than the Greek Orthodox religious ceremony with which prime ministers are usually sworn in.
Tsipras' anti-bailout Syriza party gained the backing needed to form a government by obtaining the support of Independent Greeks, which took 4.7 percent of the votes.
Although the alliance between two ideologically opposed parties who share only their opposition to the bailout was a surprise, it nevertheless boosted stock markets across Europe that had fallen on news of the uncertain election results and fear of a second election. Stocks had fallen as much as 4 percent in Athens on Monday morning, before recovering most losses. The stock market was down 1.6 percent in early afternoon trading.
Syriza won 36.3 percent of the vote in Sunday's early general elections but fell two seats short of the necessary majority in the 300-seat parliament to form a government on its own.
The details of who will serve in the government and whether the two parties will form a coalition or whether there will be a Syriza-only minority government supported by Independent Greeks were expected to be announced later Monday."
"Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras was sworn in on Monday as the prime minister of a new hardline, anti-bailout government determined to face down international lenders and end nearly five years of tough economic measures.
The decisive victory by Tsipras' Syriza in Sunday's snap election reignites fears of new financial troubles in the country that set off the regional crisis in 2009. It is also the first time a member of the 19-nation euro zone will be led by parties rejecting German-backed austerity.
Tsipras' success is also likely to empower Europe's fringe parties, including other anti-austerity movements across the region's economically-depressed south. The trouncing of the conservatives represents a defeat of Europe’s middle-ground political guard, which has dallied on a growth-versus-budget discipline debate for five years while voters suffered."
"Alexis Tsipras, the leftist political maverick who swept to power in Greece in a popular rebellion, was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Monday and immediately formed a new coalition government to charge into the task of reversing wrenching austerity policies and negotiating with European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden.
Dressed in a blue shirt, a dark blazer and no tie, he strode calmly into Maximos Mansion, the seat of the prime minister’s office, and took a civil oath rather than a religious one to assume the leadership of the nation."
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 291 points with a close of 17,387 on January 27, 2015
Two Former Vanderbilt Football Players Convicted of Committing Rape
January 27, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of former Vanderbilt football player Cory Batey during trial, January 26, 2015; AP photo of former Vanderbilt football player Brandon Vandenburg during trial, January 26, 2015
"A jury convicted two ex-Vanderbilt football players on Tuesday of raping a former student, rejecting claims that they were too drunk to know what they were doing and that a college culture of binge drinking and promiscuous sex should be blamed for the attack.
The jury deliberated for three hours before announcing that Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey were guilty of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery."
---ESPN (AP), January 27, 2015
Dow Jones Industrial Average Declined 1.13%
January 28, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 195 points and a close of 17,191 on January 28, 2015
"Bombings and a shooting killed at least 16 people around the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Thursday, including soldiers and Shiite militiamen, officials said.
Police officials say the deadliest attack took place Thursday afternoon when two suicide bombers set off their explosive belts inside a Shiite militia headquarters in the town of Mishada, 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Baghdad, killing seven Shiite militiamen and wounding 20 others.
Shiite militias have been fighting alongside government forces against the Islamic State, a Sunni extremist group that seized vast swaths of northern and western Iraq last year."
---Associated Press, January 29, 2015
ISIS Attacks Near Kirkuk, Iraq
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters photo of the aftermath of a bombing site in Baghdad, Iraq, January 30, 2015; AP photo of bombed-out area in Baghdad, Iraq, January 30, 2015
"Islamic State militants struck at Kurdish forces southwest of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Friday morning, while bombs in Baghdad and Samarra killed at least 21 people, security and medical sources said.
Police in the northern province of Kirkuk said Islamic State launched mortars and attacked positions of Kurdish peshmerga fighters in four districts southwest of Kirkuk city.
Islamic State has frequently battled Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite militias further south and west since the radical jihadist group surged across the Syrian border last summer, but attacks on the outskirts of Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk have been less frequent."
"Clashes with Islamic State militants killed a senior Kurdish military commander and eight of his fighters just outside the disputed northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Friday, officials said.
Attacks elsewhere killed 27 people, with twin bombs hitting a crowded market in Baghdad and a suicide bomber targeting pro-government Shiite militiamen who were manning a checkpoint outside a city north of the Iraqi capital.
The casualties near the oil-rich Kirkuk were a heavy setback for the Iraqi Kurds, who have been at the forefront of the battle against the Islamic State group, which has captured a third of both Iraq and Syria in its blitz last year.
Also Friday, a car bomb exploded outside an empty, closed hotel near Kirkuk's police headquarters, wounding two people. Both the Kurdish troops and the city's security force have been trying to rout the IS group from Kirkuk, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad.
After the car bombing, three gunmen took positions inside the hotel, located in the city center, triggering a firefight with the Kurds and the police.
Associated Press footage from the scene showed members of the Kurdish troops and the local police firing at the Qassir Hotel in Kirkuk and then storming it. Officials later said the gunmen were all killed.
The Kurdish Brig. Gen. Shirko Fatih and eight Kurdish fighters died in clashes south of the city earlier in the day, after the IS militants attacked the peshmerga fighters' positions, said Brig. Khatab Omar."
---Associated Press, January 30, 2015
Mitt Romney Announces that he will not Run for President in 2016
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Mitt Romney speaking at Mississippi State University in Starkville, January 28, 2015
"After a three-week flirtation with a new campaign for the White House, Mitt Romney announced Friday that he will not seek the presidency in 2016.
'After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee,' Romney told supporters on a conference call.
The exit of Romney, who was the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, comes after several of his former major donors and a veteran staffer in the early voting state of Iowa defected to support former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would have served as Romney's most likely rivals for the support of the Republican Party's establishment-minded voters.
In his call with supporters, Romney appeared to take a swipe at Bush, saying it was time for fresh leadership within the GOP.
'I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well-known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee,' Romney said. 'In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case.'"
---Associated Press, January 30, 2015
The Dow Ends January 2015 at 17,164
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a month-ending session decline of 251 points and a close of 17,164 on January 30, 2015
"Islamic State insurgents on Saturday seized a small crude oil station near the northern Iraqi city Kirkuk where 15 employees were working, and explosions in and around the capital Baghdad killed at least nine people.
Two officials from the state-run North Oil Co confirmed the militants seized a crude oil separation unit in Khabbaz and said 15 oil workers were missing after the company lost contact with them."
---Reuters, January 31, 2015
Podemos, a Spanish Leftist Party, Held a Massive Rally Madrid, Spain
January 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photos of a mass rally in Madrid, Spain--a rally held by Podemos, a Spanish leftist political party
Above: Reuters photo of Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias (waving in center of photo) at mass rally in Madrid, Spain, January 31, 2015; Photo of Pablo Iglesias, Secretary General of Podemos, a leftist political party in Spain
"Tens of thousands marched in Madrid on Saturday in the biggest show of support yet for anti-austerity party Podemos, whose surging popularity and policies have drawn comparisons with Greece's new Syriza rulers.
Crowds chanted 'yes we can' and 'tic tac tic tac', suggesting the clock was ticking for the political elite. Many waved Greek and Republican flags and banners reading 'the change is now'.
Podemos ('We Can') was formed just a year ago, but produced a major shock by winning five seats in elections for the European Parliament in May. It is currently topping opinion polls in the run up to local, regional and national elections this year."
"Hundreds of thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday in a show of strength by a fledgling radical leftist party, which hopes to emulate the success of Greece's Syriza party in the Spanish general election later this year.
Podemos supporters from across Spain converged around the Cibeles fountain Saturday before packing the avenue leading to Puerta del Sol square in what was the party's largest rally to date.
State broadcaster TVE said that hundreds of thousands were at the march, but no official attendance figures were provided.
Podemos ('We Can') aims to shatter the country's predominantly two-party system and the 'March for Change' gathered crowds in the same place where sit-in protests against political and financial corruption laid the party's foundations in 2011.
The party's rise is greatly due to the charisma of its pony-tailed leader, Pablo Iglesias, a 36-year-old political science professor.
Hailing from the Madrid working class neighborhood of Vallecas, Iglesias prefers jeans and rolled up shirt sleeves to a suit and tie and champions slogans such as Spain is 'run by the butlers of the rich' and that the economy must serve the people."
---Associated Press, January 31, 2015
U.S. Military Confirms that ISIS Has Been Pushed Out of Kobani, Syria
"Kurdish ground forces, helped by U.S. and allied air support, have retaken the Syrian town of Kobani from Islamic State militants, U.S. Lieutenant-General James Terry said on Saturday.
Supporting what Kurdish forces said earlier this week, Terry, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force that has been leading air strikes against Islamic State, said in a statement issued by the U.S. military: 'Kurdish ground forces, supported by our air component, were successful in retaking the town of Kobani.'
A monitoring group and Syrian state media reported Kurdish fighters took full control of Kobani on Monday, but on Tuesday a U.S. official said the town on the Turkish border had not been fully retaken.
Saturday's statement said Kurdish forces had pushed Islamic State out of Kobani on Tuesday."
---Reuters, December 31, 2015
Video Released Showing the Execution of Second Japanese Hostage
January 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo from video (released on January 31, 2015) showing Japanese reporter Kenji Goto (on his knees) with an ISIS militant
"Islamic State militants said on Saturday they had killed Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, after the apparent failure of sustained international efforts to secure his release through a prisoner swap.
The hardline Islamist group, an offshoot of al Qaeda which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, released a video which purported to show the beheaded body of journalist Goto and threatened further attacks on Japanese targets.
Islamic State has said Goto was held along with a Jordanian pilot. Efforts to win their release had focused on the possible release of an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber jailed in Jordan 10 years ago. The video did not mention the pilot.
Japan condemned the militants and said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet would meet in response to the video, which showed a hooded man standing over Goto with a knife to his throat, followed by footage of a head put on the back of a human body.
The release of the video came exactly a week after footage purportedly showing the beheaded body of another Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa."
"An online video released Saturday night purported to show an Islamic State group militant beheading Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, ending days of negotiations to save the man and heightening fears for the life a Jordanian fighter pilot also held hostage."
January 2015
Happy New Year
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of fireworks over Red Square in Moscow, Russia, January 1, 2015; AP photo of fireworks over the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France
Above: AP photo of fireworks over London, England, January 1, 2015; AP photo of Fireworks at Times Square in New York City, January 1, 2015
Above: Newsweek.com photo of a clock in Times Square in New York City as 2015 rang in, January 1, 2015
Above: AP photo of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio kissing his wife Chirlane McCray during the celebration of the new year, January 1, 2015; U.S. Census Bureau graphic showing population projections for the United States and the world
Reuters: Tragedy in Shanghai, China New Year's Celebration
Andrew Cuomo Began 2nd Term as Governor of New York
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his father, former N.Y. Governor Mario Cuomo, celebrating re-election victory on November 4, 2014
New York Times: Andrew Cuomo Begins Second Terms as New York's Governor, January 1, 2015
"Mr. Cuomo, whose re-election in November fell short of a coronation, celebrated his inauguration on the 64th floor of 1 World Trade Center, the newly completed downtown skyscraper, with the spiked elegance of Manhattan spread below.
He held a second ceremony later on Thursday at a museum in Buffalo, the home of Mr. Cuomo’s new lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, a former member of Congress."
---New York Times, January 1, 2015
Death of Mario Cuomo, Former Governor of New York
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Cover of the New York Post, January 2, 2015
Reuters: Former N.Y. Governor Mario Cuomo Dies, January 1, 2015
"Mario Cuomo, the three-time governor of New York who turned down several invitations to seek the U.S. presidency, has died at the age of 82, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
The circumstances of his death, which came on the day that his son, Andrew Cuomo, delivered inaugural speeches in Manhattan and Buffalo for his own second term as governor, were not immediately clear.
Officials had said earlier the elder Cuomo was unable to attend the swearing-in proceedings due to poor health."
---Reuters, January 1, 2015
NYDailyNews.com: Mario Cuomo, a Prominent Liberal, is Gone
New York Times: The Life and Legacy of Mario Cuomo
"Mario M. Cuomo, the three-term governor of New York who commanded the attention of the country with a compelling public presence, a forceful defense of liberalism and his exhaustive ruminations about whether to run for president, died on Thursday at his home in Manhattan. He was 82.
His family confirmed the death, which occurred only hours after Mr. Cuomo’s son Andrew M. Cuomo was inaugurated in Manhattan for a second term as governor."
---New York Times, January 1, 2015
Inaugural Major College Football Playoffs: Oregon and Ohio State Emerge Victorious in the Semifinal Round
January 1, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota running past a Florida State defender in the Rose Bowl, January 1, 2015
Above: AL.com photo of an Ohio State defender return an interception for a touchdown against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, January 1, 2015
The Nation's Dave Zirin: Florida State and Jameis Winston, January 1, 2015
Reuters: Oregon Tops Florida State, and Ohio State Upsets Bama in Playoff Semifinals, January 1, 2015
"The Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks earned victories in the Sugar and Rose Bowls on Thursday, booking spots in the national championship as American college football entered a new era with its first ever playoff games.
The fourth ranked Buckeyes stunned top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide 42-35 in New Orleans, as quarterback Cardale Jones threw for 243 yards, rallying his team from a 21-6 deficit in the second quarter.
...Earlier, second ranked Oregon crushed the unbeaten Florida State Seminoles 59-20 in Pasadena."
---Reuters, January 2, 2015
CBS News: Oregon Players to be Disciplined for Post-Game Taunting of FSU's Jameis Winston
"Several Oregon players are facing team discipline after celebrating their Rose Bowl win Thursday night by mocking Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and allegations of sexual assault that have followed the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner the past two years.
Video taken from the field as Oregon celebrated its 59-20 win in the College Football Playoff semifinal showed at least three players chanting 'No means no!' to the tune of a chant used by Florida State fans."
---CBS News, January 2, 2015
First Day of Stock Market Trading in 2015: The Dow Jones Industrial Average Closed at 17,832
January 2, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow closing at 17,832 on January 2, 2015
The Baga Massacre: Jihadist Terrorist Group Boko Haram Began Campaign of Slaughter in Northeastern Nigeria
January 3-7, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Wikipedia Map of Nigeria
CNN: Brutal Boko Haram Attacks Beginning January 3, 2015
Vox.com: Basic Info About the Boko Haram Attacks in Baga, Nigeria
NFL Playoffs: Carolina Panthers Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27 to 16
January 3, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart carrying the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC playoff game, January 3, 2015; Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker carrying the ball for a touchdown against Arizona, January 3, 2015
Above: Getty Images photo of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton celebrating during the NFC playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals, January 3, 2015; Getty Images photo of Carolina quarterback Cam Newton in the aftermath of the 27 to 16 Carolina playoff victory over Arizona, January 3, 2015
Associated Press: Carolina Beats Arizona in NFC Playoff Game, January 3, 2015
"The Carolina Panthers were the second division winner with a losing record in NFL history. They're also the second such team to win a postseason game.
Emulating the 2010 Seattle Seahawks, Carolina (8-8-1) got its first playoff victory in nine years by holding Arizona to 78 yards in a 27-16 win. That was the lowest yield in a postseason game.
Fourth-year quarterback Cam Newton threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns for his first playoff victory, and Jonathan Stewart ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on a rain-soaked afternoon."
---Associated Press, January 3, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Baltimore Ravens Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30 to 17
January 3, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of a Baltimore Ravens runner scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC playoff game, January 3, 2015; AP photo of a Baltimore Ravens ball carrier being tackled by a Pittsburgh Steelers defender, January 3, 2015
Above: Getty Images photo of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco throwing a pass against Pittsburgh, January 3, 2015
Reuters: Baltimore Ravens Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, January 3, 2015
"The Baltimore Ravens shut down the Pittsburgh Steelers offense and advanced in the NFL playoffs with a 30-17 AFC wildcard victory on Sunday.
Joe Flacco passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns and the Ravens defense held the Steelers without a touchdown for three quarters as Baltimore moved on to face the New England Patriots in next weekend's divisional round."
---Reuters, January 3, 2015
Funeral for Slain NYPD Officer Wenjian Liu: Defiance of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Continued
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: NYPD Officer Wenjian Liu, murdered while on duty, December 20, 2014; Front page of the New York Daily News, January 5, 2015
Above: AP photo of police officers with backs turned to video of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio speaking at the Wenjian Liu funeral, January 4, 2015; AP photo showing some officers with backs turned to Bill de Blasio, January 4, 2015
Above: AP photo of police officers with backs turned to a video screen outside the Wenjian Liu funeral in NYC, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Wenjian Liu's widow holding a portrait of her slain husband, January 4, 2015
Above: Reuters photos of police officers outside the Wenjian Liu funeral, some with backs turned to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, January 4, 2015
ABC News: During Wenjian Liu Funeral, Some Police Officers Turn Backs to NYC Mayor De Blasio, January 4, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of the Wenjian Liu Funeral, January 4, 2015
"Scores of officers in pressed blue uniforms — among thousands crowded in the rain outside the funeral of one of their own — turned their backs on Mayor Bill de Blasio as he delivered a eulogy on Sunday praising the slain officer as an example of a 'brave' and 'kind' New Yorker who came to New York from China and followed his dream to join the Police Department.
The show of disrespect, which included both police officers from New York and those who joined them in mourning from around the country, mirrored a similar display just over a week before at the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos, in Queens. In the wet streets of southern Brooklyn on Sunday morning, many turned again from their somber ranks at the funeral of his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu."
---New York Times, January 4, 2015
New York Post: Police Again Turn Their Backs on NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, January 4, 2015
"Thousands of NYPD cops turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio on Sunday outside a Brooklyn funeral home as he eulogized a murdered NYPD officer inside.
As de Blasio addressed the loved ones of Detective Wenjian Liu in the Aievoli Funeral Home in Bensonhurst, the sea of blue watching the funeral on huge TV screens outside showed their disgust for Hizzoner by turning around as he spoke."
---New York Post, January 4, 2015
Associated Press: Police Defiance of De Blasio Continues, January 4, 2015
"Thousands of police turned their backs Sunday as Mayor Bill de Blasio eulogized an officer shot dead with his partner, repeating a stinging display of scorn for the mayor despite entreaties to put anger aside.
The show of disrespect came outside the funeral home where Officer Wenjian Liu was remembered as an incarnation of the American dream: a man who had emigrated from China at age 12 and devoted himself to helping others in his adopted country. The gesture among officers watching the mayor's speech on a screen added to tensions between the mayor and rank-and-file police even as he sought to quiet them."
---Associated Press, January 4, 2015
Reuters: The Wenjian Liu Funeral, January 4, 2014
"New York City police turned out in their thousands on Sunday for the funeral of the second of two officers murdered last month, but in a sign of persistent tensions with Mayor Bill de Blasio, hundreds turned their backs when he delivered his eulogy."
---Reuters, January 4, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Indianapolis Colts Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 26 to 10
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: AP photo of Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck in the process of throwing a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC playoff game, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Colts receiver Donte Moncrief hauling in a touchdown pass against Cincinnati, January 4, 2015
Associated Press: Indianapolis Colts Defeat the Cincinnati Bengals, January 4, 2015
"With the Bengals as their opposition, the Indianapolis Colts didn't need to be great to win Sunday.
It's the playoffs, after all, and Cincinnati simply doesn't win in the postseason.
Andrew Luck threw for 376 yards and one touchdown, Daniel 'Boom' Herron ran for another score, and Indianapolis dominated the second half to beat Cincinnati 26-10 in the AFC wild-card round. The Colts made a fair share of mistakes, but nothing like the Bengals, who became the first team in NFL history to lose four consecutive opening-round playoff games.
They also are 0-6 in the postseason under coach Marvin Lewis, 0-4 with Andy Dalton at quarterback.
The Colts (12-5) head to AFC West winner Denver (12-4) next Sunday, giving Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning another shot at his former team and the QB who replaced him."
---Associated Press, January 4, 2015
ESPN: Indianapolis Knocks Off Cincinnati, January 4, 2015
"Andrew Luck stood tall, even as he was falling down Sunday.
The Colts quarterback threw for 376 yards and a game-changing touchdown as he was headed to the turf. Daniel 'Boom' Herron ran for another score as Indianapolis dominated the second half to beat Cincinnati 26-10 in the wild-card round."
---ESPN, January 4, 2015
NFL Playoffs: Dallas Cowboys Defeated the Detroit Lions, 24 to 20
January 4, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Dallas wideout Terrance Williams running for a touchdown against Detroit in an NFC playoff game, January 4, 2015; AP photo of Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray celebrating a touchdown against the Detroit Lions, January 4, 2015
ESPN: Dallas Comes Back to Beat Detroit, 24 to 20
"Tony Romo has a stirring playoff comeback to go with all the late-season disappointments.
Romo threw two touchdown passes to Terrance Williams, the second for the lead late in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Cowboys rallied for a 24-20 wild-card win over Detroit on Sunday in their first playoff game in five years.
The Cowboys (13-4) wiped out an early two-touchdown deficit to earn a trip to Green Bay, their first postseason visit there since a heartbreaking loss to the Packers in the Ice Bowl in 1967. The Packers opened at 5.5-point favorites over the Cowboys in next Sunday's NFC divisional matchup."
---ESPN, January 4, 2015
Jerry Brown Began His Fourth Term as Governor of California
January 5, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Reuters photo of California Governor Jerry Brown (Democrat) at the state Capitol in Sacramento, January 5, 2015
Reuters: Jerry Brown Begins His Fourth Term as Governor, January 5, 2015
"Democrat Jerry Brown, who turned around California's finances after years of deficits, vowed to keep a tight rein on spending as he was sworn in on Monday for a record fourth term at the helm of the nation's most populous state.
Brown, currently serving a second stint as governor, first served two terms from 1975 to 1983 and then returned to the governorship in 2011. He easily defeated Republican challenger Neel Kashkari to win re-election in November.
Brown, the 76-year-old son of the late California Governor Edmund G. 'Pat' Brown, has forcefully steered the heavily Democratic state on a centrist path since voters returned him to the governorship."
---Reuters, January 5, 2015
Oil Prices Decline: The Dow Jones Industrial Average Lost 331 Points, Closing at 17,501
January 5, 2015 (Monday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 331 points, closing at 17,501 on January 5, 2015
114th Congress Convenes: Republican Party Took Control of Both the House and Senate
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters photo of Speaker of the House John Boehner (Republican) wielding the gavel, January 6, 2015; Reuters photo of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell (Senate Majority Leader) being sworn in to another Senate term by Vice President Joe Biden, January 6, 2015
Reuters: John Boehner Survives Right-Wing Challege, Re-Elected Speaker, January 6, 2015
"John Boehner narrowly won a third term as House of Representatives Speaker on Tuesday, surviving a stiff challenge from 25 conservative Republicans that may signal a growing split in the party as it takes full control of Congress.
Boehner received 216 of 408 votes cast in a tense vote, with a growing faction of dissident House Republicans opposing him because they said he had done too little to cut spending and fight President Barack Obama's immigration and healthcare policies.
The last time that more than 25 House members voted against a Speaker candidate from their own party came in 1859, according to congressional historians.
The number of Republican defectors was more than twice the dozen who withheld their support from him in an election two years ago, evidence of the stark party divisions that could make it hard to pass legislation, including bills to keep government agencies operating without interruption."
---Reuters, January 6, 2015
Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters photo of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell talking to reporters, January 6, 2015
Reuters: Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell (Republican) Sentenced to Two Years in Prison, January 6, 2015
"Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in federal prison and two years of probation for taking a bribe from a businessman seeking to promote a dietary supplement.
McDonnell, the first Virginia governor to be convicted of bribe-taking, received a shorter sentence than that sought by prosecutors for accepting sweetheart loans and lavish gifts from entrepreneur Jonnie Williams.
McDonnell, once a rising star in the Republican Party, was convicted in September along with his estranged wife, Maureen, after a five-week trial that laid bare rifts in their marriage and marred Virginia's reputation for clean government. McDonnell left office in January 2014."
---Reuters, January 6, 2015
CBS News: Former GOP Star, Robert McDonnell, Sentenced to Two Years in Prison, January 6, 2015
"Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell has been sentenced to 24 months in a minimum security prison for his corruption conviction on 11 different counts related to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Judge James Spencer issued the sentence after hearing brief arguments from lawyers and testimony from 11 character witnesses. In addition to the expected testimony about his good character, witnesses included faith-based non-profit leaders who asked the judge to allow McDonnell to serve with their organizations instead of in prison. A member of the House of Delegates testified that the conviction itself was a sufficient deterrent for other lawmakers, rather than a harsh sentence.
The charges against the former governor and his wife Maureen McDonnell stemmed from favors they gave to Jonnie Williams, a vitamin company CEO, in exchange for over $165,000 in gifts and loans. Maureen McDonnell was convicted on eight out of 11 conspiracy charges."
---CBS News, January 6, 2015
Salon.com: The Fall of Robert McDonnell, January 6, 2015
"U.S. District Judge James Spencer on Tuesday sentenced former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to two years in prison for political corruption, the latest chapter in the spectacular fall of one of the Republican Party’s former rising stars.
In September, McDonnell was convicted on 11 counts of corruption in a case that exposed how he and his wife, Maureen, conspired to promote a dietary supplement marketed by Jonnie R. Williams, Sr. in exchange for $177,000 in loans, vacations, and other gifts from the Richmond businessman. Maureen McDonnell, who was convicted on eight counts, will be sentenced on February 20."
---Salon.com, January 6, 2015
The Dow Fell Another 130 Points to Close at 17,371
January 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a Dow Jones Industrial Average decline of 130 points, closing at 17,371 on January 6, 2015
The Baga Massacre:
January 6-7, 2015 (Tuesday-Wednesday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Nigeria
Reuters: The Baga Massacre
"Boko Haram militants have killed dozens of people and burned down homes in the northeast Nigerian town of Baga in the past two days, in a second killing spree since seizing control there at the weekend, witnesses said on Thursday.
Two locals said the Islamist insurgents began shooting indiscriminately and burning buildings on Tuesday evening in raids on the civilian population that carried on into Wednesday.
'I escaped with my family in the car after seeing how Boko Haram was killing people ... I saw bodies in the street. Children and women, some were crying for help,' Mohamed Bukar told Reuters after fleeing to the state capital Maiduguri.
The insurgency killed more than 10,000 people last year, according to a count by the Council on Foreign Relations in November. It is seen as the gravest threat to Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, and a headache for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of an election on Feb. 14.
Soldiers fled Baga over the weekend when the Sunni jihadist group overran a nearby army base.
The district head of Baga, Abba Hassan, said on Thursday that at least 100 people were killed when the group first took over the town on the edge of Lake Chad."
---Reuters, January 8, 2015
Terrorist Attack in Paris, France: Jihadists Kill Several at Charlie Hebdo Office
January 7, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters photo of two Jihadist gunmen after conducting a massacre in the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, France, January 7, 2015
Above: BBC map and graphic showing the location of the terrorist attack on the Paris, France office of Charlie Hebdo
Above: Reuters photo of French emergency workers tending to a terrorist attack victim in Paris, January 7, 2015; Internet meme declaring "Je Suis Charlie" (i.e. I am Charlie) in solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack, January 7, 2015
Above: Cover of Charlie Hebdo featuring a cartoon of Mitt Romney; AP 2012 photo of Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, the publishing director of Charlie Hebdo, who was killed in the Jihadist attack on January 7, 2015
Above: 2007 cover of Charlie Hebdo cover featuring a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim figure together declaring that "Charlie Hebdo must be veiled!"
Josh Keating at Slate.com: Charlie Hebdo's Long History of Being Provocative
Above: BBC composite of five of the victims slain in the Charlie Hebdo Massacre
Above: Getty Images photo of someone in a Parisian cafe reading the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo, January 7, 2015; Front page of the New York Post, January 8, 2015
Reuters: Coverage of the Terrorist Attack in France, January 7, 2015
"Hooded gunmen stormed the Paris offices of a weekly satirical magazine renowned for lampooning radical Islam, killing at least 12 people, including two police officers in the worst militant attack on French soil in recent decades.
One of the men was captured on video shouting 'Allah!' as four shots rang out. Two assailants are then seen calmly leaving the scene and remain at large.
Charlie Hebdo (Charlie Weekly) is renowned for courting controversy with satirical attacks on political and religious leaders and has published numerous cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammad. The last tweet on its account mocked Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the militant Islamic State, which has taken control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria."
---Reuters, January 7, 2015
Associated Press: Terrorist Attack in Paris, France, January 7, 2015
"Masked gunmen shouting 'Allahu akbar!' stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing 12 people before escaping. It was France's deadliest terror attack in at least two decades.
With a manhunt on, French President Francois Hollande called the attack on the Charlie Hebdo weekly, whose caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed have frequently drawn condemnation from Muslims, 'a terrorist attack without a doubt.' He said several other attacks have been thwarted in France 'in recent weeks.'"
---Associated Press, January 7, 2015
The Dow Bounces Back, a Bit
January 7, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 212 points on January 7, 2015, closing at 17,584
The Charlie Hebdo Terrorist Attack in Paris, France: 18-Year Old Surrenders; Two Suspects at-Large
January 7-8, 2015 (Wednesday-Thursday)
Above: BBC photos of Cherif Kouachi (Left) and Said Kouachi, two at-large suspects in the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack
Reuters: Coverage of the Charlie Hebdo Terrorist Attack, January 7-8, 2015
"An 18-year old man sought by police over Wednesday's shooting attack at satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo handed himself voluntarily to police in northeastern France, an official at the Paris prosecutor's office said.
Police are hunting three French nationals, including brothers Said Kouachi, born in 1980; Cherif Kouachi, born in 1982; and Hamyd Mourad born in 1996, after suspected Islamist gunmen killed 12 people.
The official, who declined to identify the man, said he had turned himself in at a police station in Charleville-Mézières, in northeastern France at around 2300 GMT."
---Reuters, January 7, 2015
BBC: Coverage of the Charlie Hebdo Massacre
Vox.com: Victims in the Charlie Hebdo Massacre
The Charlie Hebdo Massacre: Manhunt in France for the Brothers Kouachi
January 8, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP copy of French law enforcement images of Cherif Kouachi and Said Kouachi; AP photo of President of France Francois Hollande (center) leading a moment of silence in Paris, January 8, 2015
Associated Press: Manhunt in France for the Gunmen in the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, January 8, 2015
"Scattered gunfire and explosions shook France on Thursday as its frightened yet defiant citizens held a day of mourning for 12 people slain at a Paris newspaper. French police hunted two heavily armed brothers suspected in the massacre, fearing they might strike again.
The two suspects — one a former pizza deliveryman who had a prior terror conviction and a fondness for rap —should be considered 'armed and dangerous,' French police said in a bulletin.
French President Francois Hollande — joined by residents, tourists and Muslim leaders — called for tolerance after the country's worst terrorist attack in decades. At noon, the Paris metro came to a standstill and a crowd fell silent near Notre Dame cathedral to honor Wednesday's victims.
'France has been struck directly in the heart of its capital, in a place where the spirit of liberty — and thus of resistance — breathed freely,' Hollande said.
France's prime minister said the possibility of a new attack 'is our main concern' and announced several overnight arrests. Tensions ran high in Paris, where 800 extra police patrolled schools, places of worship and transit hubs. Britain increased its security checks at ports and borders."
---Associated Press, January 8, 2015
Above: Cover of the January 19, 2015 issue of The New Yorker; Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, Cartoonist and Editor; Georges Wolinski, Cartoonist; Jean "Cabu" Cabut, Cartoonist; Bernard "Tignous" Verlhac, Cartoonist
New York Times: Profiles of Four Charlie Hebdo Victims
"The four cartoonists killed in the offices of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical French newspaper, represented a radical, crude and vital strain of that nation’s culture, according to those who knew them and followed their work.
The men — Stéphane Charbonnier, Georges Wolinski, Jean Cabut and Bernard Verlhac — were among 12 people killed in the attack Wednesday.The newspaper had been insistent on publishing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which are banned under some interpretations of Islamic law, and by Wednesday evening, French officials had suggested that the attack had been carried out by Islamic extremists.
Daniel Leconte, a filmmaker who was making a documentary about the cartoonists, said they were 'like columnists in a very important journal.'"
---New York Times, January 8, 2015
Time.com: The Charlie Hebdo Massacre and the European Far Right
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Gained 323 Points, and Closed at 17,907
January 8, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Reuters chart showing the Dow gaining 323 points and closing at 17,907 on January 8, 2015
Terrorism in France: Two Hostage Situations
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
About: Images released by French authorities of two people believed to be connected to a hostage situation in Paris, January 9, 2015; Reuters photo of French special police forces in Paris, January 9, 2015
Associated Press: Two Hostage Situations in France, January 9, 2015
"Terrorists linked to each other seized hostages at two locations around Paris on Friday, facing off against hundreds of French security forces as the city shut down a famed Jewish neighborhood and scrambled to protect residents and tourists from further attacks.
France has been high alert for more attacks since the country's worst terror attack in decades — the massacre Wednesday in Paris at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead.
The two sets of hostage-takers apparently know each other, said a police official who was not authorized to discuss the rapidly developing situations with the media.
The Paris mayor's office immediately announced the closure of all shops along Rosiers Street in the city's famed Marais neighborhood in the heart of the tourist district. Hours before the Jewish Sabbath, the street is usually crowded with shoppers — French Jews and tourists alike. The street is also only a kilometer (.06 miles) away from Charlie Hebdo's offices.
Two brothers linked to al-Qaida grabbed a hostage early Friday and were cornered by police inside a printing house in Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris. They are believed responsible for the attack that decimated Charlie Hebdo's staff and left two police officers dead.
In addition, the police official said a gunman holding at least five hostages Friday inside a kosher grocery store in eastern Paris is believed responsible for the roadside killing of a Paris policewoman on Thursday. Authorities released a photo of him and a female accomplice but were unclear about her whereabouts."
---Associated Press, January 9, 2015
Monthly Jobs Report:
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
Above: CNN chart showing U.S. job creation numbers from December 2013 through December 2014; President Barack Obama
CNN.com: Coverage of the Monthly Jobs Report, January 9, 2015
National Release of Selma
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Movie poster for Selma
French Forces Bring Two Hostage Situations to an End
January 9, 2015 (Friday)
Above: BBC photos of Cherif and Said Kouachi, two brothers suspected of carrying out the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, and who evidently were killed during an assault by French forces on January 9, 2015
Above: USA Today photo of Amedy Coulibaly; CBS News screen grab showing President of France Francois Hollande speaking about the terrorism and hostage situations, January 9, 2015
New York Times: French Forces Assault Terrorists Involved in the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, January 9, 2015
"The French police on Friday killed the two brothers suspected of murdering 12 people at a Paris newspaper on Wednesday and freed their hostage unharmed, the authorities said.
The police launched a simultaneous raid on a kosher supermarket in Paris where an alleged associate of the brothers was holding a number of other hostages. At least some of those hostages escaped unharmed, according to the police."
---New York Times, January 9, 2015
Reuters: Coverage of the French Terrorism and Hostage Situations, January 9, 2015
"Two brothers suspected of attacking the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo were killed when police stormed their hideout on Friday while their hostage was freed, a police official said.
However, a police source said at least four other hostages had been killed at a separate siege at a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris.
The two brothers died when security forces moved in on a print works in the small town of Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, where the chief suspects in Wednesday's attack had been holed up with their hostage.
A police source said the hostage-taker at the Jewish supermarket, who is believed to have had links to the same Islamist group as the brothers, had also been killed.
The print works at Dammartin-en-Goele, set in marsh and woodland, had been under siege since the gunmen abandoned a high-speed car chase and took refuge there early on Friday."
---Reuters, January 9, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The New England Patriots Defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 35 to 31
January 10, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of New England quarterback Tom Brady passing against the Baltimore Ravens in AFC playoff action, January 10, 2015
ESPN: New England Tops Baltimore, 35 to 31
"Tom Brady's third touchdown pass gave New England its first lead with about five minutes remaining and the Patriots reached their fourth straight AFC championship game with a 35-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
Justin Tucker had given the Ravens a 31-28 lead on a 25-yard field goal with 10:17 left. Then Brady directed a masterful 74-yard drive. He completed eight of nine passes for 72 yards -- and ran for a first down -- and put the Patriots ahead with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell.
The top-seeded Patriots (13-4) will face the winner of Sunday's game between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts in the conference title game next Sunday. The sixth-seeded Ravens (11-7) had won two of three playoff games in Foxborough over the past five seasons."
---ESPN, January 10, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Seattle Seahawks Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 31 to 17
January 10, 2015 (Saturday)
Above:
ESPN: Seattle Tops Carolina, 31 to 17
"This time Russell Wilson did it with his arm, passing the Seattle Seahawks into the NFC championship game for the second straight year with a big assist from Kam Chancellor.
The Seahawks are one step closer to defending their Super Bowl title.
Wilson threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, Chancellor returned an interception 90 yards for a TD midway through the fourth quarter and the Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 31-17 on Saturday night in an NFC divisional playoff game.
Wilson was nearly flawless in one of the best playoff performances of his young career. He took shots downfield and was hard to stop on third downs."
---ESPN, January 10, 2015
ISIS Forces Clash With Kurds in Northern Iraq
January 10-11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Iraq
Reuters: ISIS Continues to Attack Kurdish Forces in Northern Iraq, January 11, 2015
"Islamic State militants have killed at least 24 members of the Kurdish security forces in a surprise attack in northern Iraq, Kurdish officials said, in one of the deadliest single battles for the Kurds since last summer.
Three Kurdish officers reported continued clashes with Islamic State on Sunday, one day after the deaths, near Gwer, a town some 40km (25 miles) southwest of the autonomous Kurdish region's capital Arbil.
Kurdish-controlled Gwer is likely to be a launch-pad for any future attempt by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to retake Mosul, the biggest city in northern Iraq which Islamic State seized last June.
Islamic State militants crossed the river Zab in small boats on Friday night and entered Gwer, but were driven back by Kurdish peshmerga forces, the officers said."
---Reuters, January 11, 2015
In a Show of National Solidarity in the Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks, Millions March in France
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Reuters photo President of France Francois Hollande (hands pointed out) standing with other heads of state, including Germany's Angela Merkel, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas; Reuters photo of unity demonstrators on a Parisian monument, January 11, 2015
Above: AP photo of a massive crowd in the unity rally in Paris, France, January 11, 2015; AP photo of President of France Francois Hollande flanked by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, Mali's Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Germany's Angela Merkel, the European Union's Donald Tusk, and Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas
Above: AP photo of unity demonstrators atop a monument at the Place de la Nation in Paris, January 11, 2015
Reuters: Hundreds of Thousands March for French Unity, January 11, 2015
"World leaders including Muslim and Jewish statesmen linked arms to lead more than a million French citizens through Paris in an unprecedented march to pay tribute to victims of Islamist militant attacks.
Commentators said the last time crowds of this size filled the streets of the capital was at the Liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany in 1944.
President Francois Hollande and leaders from Germany, Italy, Turkey, Britain as well as Israel and the Palestinian territories moved off from the central Place de la Republique ahead of a sea of French and other flags.
Seventeen people, including journalists and police, were killed in three days of violence that began on Wednesday with a shooting attack on the political weekly Charlie Hebdo, known for its satirical attacks on Islam and other religions.
Giant letters attached to a statue in the square spelt out the word 'Pourquoi?' (Why?) and small groups sang the 'La Marseillaise' national anthem.
'Paris is today the capital of the world. Our entire country will rise up and show its best side,' Hollande said."
---Reuters, January 11, 2015
Associated Press: Massive Rallies in France in Opposition to Terrorism, January 11, 2015
"More than a million people surged through the boulevards of Paris behind dozens of world leaders walking arm-in-arm Sunday in a rally for unity described as the largest demonstration in French history. Millions more marched around the country and the world to repudiate three days of terror that killed 17 people and changed France.
Amid intense security and with throngs rivaling those that followed the liberation of Paris from the Nazis, the city became 'the capital of the world' for a day, on a planet increasingly vulnerable to such cruelty.
More than 40 world leaders headed the somber procession — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas; Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — setting aside their differences with a common rallying cry: We stand together against barbarity, and we are all Charlie.
At least 1.2 million to 1.6 million people streamed slowly through the streets behind them and across France to mourn the victims of deadly attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a kosher supermarket and police officers — violence that tore deep into the nation's sense of security in a way some compared to Sept. 11 in the United States."
---Associated Press, January 11, 2015
French Jihadist Terrorist Amedy Coulibaly Revealed in Video as an ISIS Loyalist
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Reuters January 11, 2015 photo taken from undated video showing Amedy Coulibaly--a Jihadist terrorist who killed hostages at a Jewish deli on January 9, 2015--declaring his fealty to ISIS; USA Today photo of Amedy Coulibaly, a French Jihadist killed by French forces on January 9, 2015
Above: AP photos taken from a January 11, 2015 video posting purporting to show recently slain French Jihadist proclaiming his allegiance to ISIS
New York Times: French Terrorist Left Behind Video Declaring his Allegiance to ISIS
Reuters: French Jihadist Terrorist Declared an Alignment with ISIS
"One of three gunmen behind the worst militant attacks in France for decades appeared in a video released online on Sunday, declaring his allegiance to the Islamic State armed group and urging French Muslims to follow his example.
In the seven-minute video apparently intended for release after the actions, Amedy Coulibaly, who staged the attack on a Jewish deli, said the planned assaults on a satirical journal and a Jewish target were justified by French military interventions overseas.
A French anti-terrorist police source said there was no doubt it was Coulibaly in the French-language recording.
Seventeen victims were killed in three days of violence that began with an attack on the Charlie Hebdo weekly on Wednesday and ended with Friday's dual sieges at a print works outside Paris and a kosher supermarket in the city.
French security forces killed Coulibaly, 32, on Friday after he planted explosives at the Paris deli in a siege that claimed the lives of four hostages. They also shot dead two brothers behind the Hebdo killings, Said and Cherif Kouachi, after they took refuge in the print works.
The Kouachi brothers said they were aligned to al Qaeda, which competes for influence with Islamic State among militant Islamists."
---Reuters, January 11, 2015
Associated Press: Video Shows French Jihadist Declaring His Affiliation with ISIS
"Two days after his death, a video emerged Sunday of one of the Paris gunmen pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, while his two fellow militants have claimed to be from al-Qaida — a fiercely rival extremist organization.
That seeming contradiction has raised questions about the connections among the three French attackers, whether they acted with the direct involvement or knowledge of the networks, and whether their friendship allowed them to put aside the rift between the groups.
The Islamic State group does not cooperate with al-Qaida's militants and actually fights them for territory in a side conflict of Syria's civil war.
In video verified by the SITE Intelligence Group, Amedy Coulibaly said he had worked in coordination with Said and Cherif Kouachi, the 'brothers from our team,' who carried out the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.
'We did things a bit together and a bit apart, so that it'd have more impact,' he said in fluent French, adding that he had helped the brothers financially with 'a few thousand euros' for the operation. The video also showed him doing pushups, and featured automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition. He spoke beneath the black-and-white flag used by many Islamic militants."
---Associated Press, January 11, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Green Bay Packers Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 26 to 21
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC playoff game, January 11, 2015
ESPN: Green Bay Eliminates Dallas, 26 to 21
"No need for ice and wind and record low temperatures. Even in relatively balmy conditions for Green Bay, and with a somewhat stationary All-Pro quarterback, the Packers survived against the Dallas Cowboys.
Green Bay rallied from an 8-point deficit as Aaron Rodgers threw for two second-half touchdowns to beat Dallas 26-21 Sunday. The Packers (13-4), helped immensely by a video reversal with 4:06 remaining, went undefeated at Lambeau Field this season. They head to Seattle next weekend for the NFC title game."
---ESPN, January 11, 2015
NFL Playoffs: The Indianapolis Colts Defeated the Denver Broncos, 24 to 13
January 11, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck running around Denver Broncos defender DeMarcus Ware, AFC Playoff Game, January 11, 2015
ESPN: Indianapolis Defeats Denver, 24 to 13
"Andrew Luck has his signature NFL win, and it came against his predecessor, at that.
Hardly pressured all afternoon, Luck threw two touchdown passes and led the Indianapolis Colts past Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 24-13 Sunday.
The Colts (13-5) advanced to the AFC championship game at New England (13-4), which beat Baltimore 35-31 Saturday night."
---ESPN, January 11, 2015
College Football Playoff Championship Game: Ohio State Defeated Oregon, 42 to 20
January 12, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of an Ohio State runner carrying the ball against Oregon, January 12, 2015; AP photo of Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot running for a touchdown against Oregon in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, January 12, 2015
ESPN: Ohio State Beats Oregon, 42 to 20
Associated Press: Ohio States Beats Oregon to Win Inaugural College Football Playoff Championship
"Ohio State was done when Braxton Miller got hurt in August.
Ohio State was done when it lost at home to Virginia Tech in September.
Ohio State was done when J.T. Barrett got hurt in November.
A funny thing happened: Every time the Buckeyes looked done, they kept getting better. And in the new era of college football, that was enough to earn a chance to win a championship.
They took advantage of an opportunity they never would have had in the BCS, shrugging off questions about if they belonged among the college football's final four. Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott and the Buckeyes won the first College Football Playoff national championship, upsetting Marcus Mariota and Oregon 42-20 on Monday night.
Behind their bullish backup quarterback Jones and the relentless running of Elliott, the Buckeyes (14-1) completed a remarkable in-season turnaround with a dominating performance against the Ducks (13-2)."
---Associated Press, January 13, 2015
Charlie Hebdo Staffers Reveal New Issue
January 13, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Luz at a Paris, France press conference, January 13, 2015; AP photo of Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Luz being comforted by an editor and columnist at a Paris, France press conference, January 13, 2015
Associated Press: New Issue of Charlie Hebdo
"Charlie Hebdo released a new version of its irreverent and often offensive newspaper Tuesday, defiantly putting a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad on the cover that drew immediate criticism and threats of more violence.
The newspaper also skewered other religions, and ran a double-page spread illustrating Sunday's march in Paris that drew more than a million people to condemn terrorism, claiming that the turnout was larger "than for Mass."
'For the past week, Charlie, an atheist newspaper, has achieved more miracles than all the saints and prophets combined,' it said in the lead editorial. 'The one we are most proud of is that you have in your hands the newspaper that we always made.'
Charlie Hebdo planned an unprecedented print run of 3 million copies Wednesday — one week to the day after the assault by two masked gunmen that killed 12 people, including much of its editorial staff and two police officers. It was the beginning of three days of terror that saw 17 people killed before the three Islamic extremist attackers were gunned down by security forces.
Surviving staff members are now using the offices of the Liberation newspaper, which has loaned out space.
The latest cover shows a weeping Muhammad, holding a sign reading 'I am Charlie' with the words 'All is forgiven' above him."
---Associated Press, January 13, 2015
France Cracks Down on Perceived Threats, and the Latest Issue of Charlie Hebdo Goes on Sale
January 14, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters (via Time) photo of Al Qaeda in Yemen leader making a video statement regarding the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, January 14, 2015 video release
Above: AP photo of people lined up in a Paris, France newsstand to buy the newly released issue of Charlie Hebdo, January 14, 2015
Associated Press: France Cracks Down
"France ordered prosecutors around the country to crack down on hate speech, anti-Semitism and glorifying terrorism and announced Wednesday it was sending an aircraft carrier to the Mideast to work more closely with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants.
Authorities said 54 people had been arrested for hate speech and defending terrorism in the last week. The crackdown came as Charlie Hebdo's defiant new issue sold out before dawn around Paris, with scuffles at kiosks over dwindling copies of the satirical weekly that fronted the Prophet Muhammad anew on its cover.
After terror attacks killed 20 people in Paris last week, including three gunmen, President Francois Hollande said the situation 'justifies the presence of our aircraft carrier.' One of the gunmen claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group.
France is already carrying out airstrikes against the extremist group in Iraq. Hollande spoke aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to members of France's military.
Since the attacks, France has deployed 10,000 troops and 120,000 security forces in an area the size of Texas to protect sensitive sites, including Jewish schools and synagogues, mosques and travel hubs.
France has been tightening security and searching for accomplices since the terror attacks began, but none of the 54 people mentioned Wednesday have been linked to the attacks. That's raising questions about whether Hollande's Socialist government is impinging on the very freedom of speech that it so vigorously defends when it comes to Charlie Hebdo."
---Associated Press, January 14, 2015
Reuters: New Issue of Charlie Hebdo Goes on Sale, January 14, 2015
"The first edition of Charlie Hebdo after an attack by Islamist gunmen sold out within minutes on Wednesday, featuring a cartoon of a tearful Prophet Mohammad on a cover that defenders called a moving work of art but critics saw as a new provocation.
French readers queued up at dawn for copies to show support for the newspaper, even as al Qaeda's branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it ordered the killings because it deemed the weekly had insulted the Prophet.
Across the Middle East, Muslim leaders who have denounced the attack on the newspaper called for calm, while criticizing its decision to publish a fresh caricature of Mohammad.
Millions of copies of the 'survivors' edition' were printed in France, dwarfing the normal print run of 60,000. On the cover, a tearful Muhammad carried a sign reading 'Je suis Charlie,' below the headline 'All is forgiven.'"
---Reuters, January 14, 2015
Associated Press: Al-Qeada Organization Claims to Have Ordered Charlie Hebdo Attack
"Yemen's al-Qaida branch on Wednesday confirmed it carried out last week's deadly assault on a French satirical newspaper to avenge cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, as it called for unity among jihadi ranks and vowed more attacks on the West.
In an 11-minute video posted on the group's Twitter account, Nasr al-Ansi, a top commander of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, said the attack on the office of the Charlie Hebdo weekly —in which two gunmen massacred 12 people — was in 'revenge for the prophet.'
He warned of more 'tragedies and terror' in the future, saying 'you will look for peace and stability but you will not find it because of the deeds of those carrying out martyrdom operations and heroes of lone jihad.'
Al-Ansi said AQAP 'chose the target, laid out the plan and financed the operation.' He said the radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in September 2011, had arranged the attack.
If confirmed, that would mean the Paris attack was years in the making. But Al-Ansi produced no evidence to support his claims, leaving lingering questions over the exact relationship between the attackers and the militant group's leadership in Yemen.
U.S. intelligence officials say they have no evidence AQAP coordinated the attack or knew about it in advance. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss classified matters publicly.
An AQAP member told The Associated Press Friday that the group was responsible, but the video contained the first official claim.
The statement emerged as Charlie Hebdo defiantly released a new issue with a caricature of the prophet on the cover, with copies selling out before dawn across Paris."
---Associated Press, January 14, 2015
ABC News and AP: History of Muslim Views of Depicting Muhammad as an Image
The Dow Lost 186 points
January 14, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing Dow decline of 186 points with a close of 17,427 on January 14, 2015
Indianapolis Colts Linebacker Josh McNary Charged with Rape
January 14, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Indystar.com photo of Josh McNary
ESPN: Indianapolis Colts Linebacker Charged with Rape
"Prosecutors filed charges of rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury and battery resulting in bodily injury against Indianapolis Colts backup linebacker Josh McNary on Wednesday.
Early Thursday morning, an attorney for McNary released a statement saying his client 'unhesitatingly' denied the allegations and had immediately reported Wednesday night to law enforcement officials in a 'respectful and peaceful' manner.
According to the probable cause affidavit, two Indianapolis police officers said a 29-year-old woman accused an unknown man they later determined to be McNary of attacking her in the early-morning hours of Dec. 1. Police, according to the report, determined the man was McNary after investigating a cellphone the woman claimed she took from the man's apartment."
---ESPN, January 15, 2015
Counter-Terrorist Operation in Belgium
January 15, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Belgium
Reuters: Counter-Terrorism Operations Carried Out in Belgium, January 15, 2015
"Belgian police killed two men who opened fire on them during one of about a dozen raids on Thursday against an Islamist group that federal prosecutors said was about to launch 'terrorist attacks on a grand scale.'
Coming a week after Islamist gunmen killed 17 people in Paris, the incident fueled fears across Europe of young Muslims returning radicalised from Syria. But the Belgian probe had been under way before the Jan. 7 attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and officials saw no obvious link between the two.
A third man was detained in the eastern city of Verviers, where police commandos ran into a hail of gunfire after trying to gain entry to an apartment above a town center bakery. All three were citizens of Belgium, which has one of the biggest concentrations of European Islamists fighting in Syria."
---Reuters, January 15, 2015
During Philippines Trip, Pope Francis Re-Affirms Traditional Catholic Doctrine on Birth Control
January 16, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photos of Pope Francis in Manila, Philippines, January 16, 2015
Associated Press: Pope Francis Visits Philippines, January 16, 2015
"Pope Francis issued his strongest defense yet of church teaching opposing artificial contraception on Friday, using a rally in Asia's largest Catholic nation to urge families to be 'sanctuaries of respect for life.'
Francis also denounced the corruption that has plagued the Philippines for decades and urged officials to instead work to end its 'scandalous' poverty and social inequalities during his first full day in Manila, where he received a rock star's welcome at every turn.
Security was tighter than it has ever been for this pope, who relishes plunging into crowds. Cellphone service around the city was intentionally jammed for a second day on orders of the National Telecommunications Commission and roadblocks along Francis' motorcade route snarled traffic for miles (kilometers).
Police vans followed his motorcade while officers formed human chains in front of barricades to hold back the tens of thousands of wildly cheering Filipinos who packed boulevards for hours just for a glimpse of his four-door Volkswagen passing by.
Police said another 86,000 gathered outside one of Manila's biggest sports arenas, capacity 20,000, where Francis held his first encounter with the Filipino masses: a meeting with families. There, he firmly upheld church teaching opposing artificial contraception and endeared himself to the crowd with off-the-cuff jokes and even a well-intentioned attempt at sign language."
---Associated Press, January 16, 2015
NCAA Restores Penn State Football Victories: Joe Paterno is All-Time Winningest Major College Football Coach Once Again
January 16, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Joe Paterno after leading Penn State to victory for the 409th time, October 29, 2011; AP photo of Penn State students in State College, Pennsylvania celebrating the restoration of 111 Joe Paterno football victories from 1998-2011, January 16, 2015
Above: AP photo of on-campus Penn State students celebrating with a cardboard image of Joe Paterno in the wake of the NCAA's restoration of 111 Paterno football wins from 1998-2011, January 16, 2015; AP photo of Joe Paterno's grave, State College, Pennsylvania, January 16, 2015
Above: AP photo of Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno celebrating a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, a win resulting in his first national championship, January 1, 1983; AP photo of Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno celebrating a Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami, a win resulting in his second national championship, January 2, 1987
ESPN: NCAA Restores 111 Joe Paterno Football Victories, January 16, 2015
"Penn State's football team is getting back 112 wins wiped out during the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal, and the late Joe Paterno has been restored as the winningest coach in major college football history.
The NCAA announced the new settlement with the school Friday, weeks before a scheduled trial on the legality of the 2012 consent decree it will replace.
The new deal also directs a $60 million fine to address child abuse be spent within Pennsylvania and resolves that lawsuit."
---ESPN, January 16, 2015
PennLive.com Editorial: A Good Decision
Associated Press: Joe Paterno Back to 409 Wins, January 16, 2015
"The NCAA agreed Friday to restore 112 football wins it had stripped from Penn State and Joe Paterno in the Jerry Sandusky child-molestation scandal and to reinstate the venerated late coach as the winningest in major college football history.
The agreement, swiftly approved by the boards of the NCAA and the university after intermittent talks heated up this week, lifts the last of the sanctions imposed in 2012 and wipes away the black marks that had tainted one of the nation's most celebrated college athletics programs.
After more than two years of criticism that the NCAA had overstepped its authority, officials with college sports' governing body did not back down. Instead, they said they were focused on ending litigation that had held up distribution of the university's $60 million fine to fund child abuse-prevention programs.
Before the deal, the NCAA had agreed last year to eliminate some of the sanctions, including reinstating Penn State's full complement of scholarships and letting the team participate in post-season play.
Friday's agreement threw out the rest of the sanctions, including eliminating a five-year probation period and scholarship and transfer rules, and restoring the wins that had been wiped out. It also bowed to Pennsylvania officials' desire to see the $60 million fine spent in Pennsylvania, not spread to abuse-prevention programs around the nation.
The pact emerged just days after a federal judge declined to rule on the constitutionality of the sanctions and weeks before a Pennsylvania court was to hold a trial on the legality of the penalties."
---Associated Press, January 16, 2015
PennLive.com: The Penn State-NCAA Settlement The Daily Beast: Penn State vs. the NCAA
Muslim Backlash Against Charlie Hebdo
January 17, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo of Anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, January 17, 2015
Above: AP photo of a Tanzeem-e-Islami protest against Charlie Hebdo in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, January 17, 2015
Above: AP photos of anti-Charlie Hebdo protesters near the French Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, January 17, 2015
Associated Press: Backlash in the Muslim World Against Charlie Hebdo, January 17, 2015
"Protesters also demonstrated in front of the French Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as in the Pakistani city of Karachi. In Egypt, the Islamist Noor Party denounced the latest Charlie Hebdo cover on its French-language Facebook page. 'Just as the Noor Party rejects the assault on civilians and the negative effects it has for all Muslims of Europe, it also rejects this barbaric, irresponsible act under the name of freedom of expression,' the statement declared.
In Gaza City, the capital of the Gaza Strip, unknown vandals scrawled graffiti on the walls of the French Cultural Center. In addition to statements praising the Prophet Muhammad and declaring him off-limits for ridicule or satire, the vandals also wrote: 'To hell, to a miserable destiny, French journalists.'"
---Associated Press, January 17, 2015
Protests in Niger Against Charlie Hebdo
January 17, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Reuters photo of man in Niger holding copy of the Koran during protest against Charlie Hebdo, Saturday, January 17, 2015; Reuters photo of protesters in Niamey, Niger, Saturday, January 17, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of protester in Niamey, Niger holding a sign proclaiming "Je ne suis pas Charlie" (I am not Charlie), Saturday, January 17, 2015; Reuters photo of an image of the January 11, 2015 French unity rally displayed on the Beaubourg Pompidou Centre in Paris, France, January 17, 2015
BBC.com: Muslim Anti-Charlie Hebdo Protesters Burn Churches in Niger, January 17, 2015
Reuters: Unrest in Niger over Charlie Hebdo, January 17, 2015
"At least three people were killed on Saturday in protests in Niger against French newspaper Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, police sources said, bringing the death toll from two days of violence in the West African country to eight.
Police fired teargas at crowds of stone-throwing Muslim youths who set fire to churches and looted shops in the capital Niamey after authorities banned a meeting called by local Islamic leaders. A police station was attacked and at least two police cars burned.
The police sources said two charred bodies were found inside a burned church on the outskirts of Niamey on Saturday, while the body of a woman was found in a bar. She was believed to have been suffocated by teargas and smoke, they said.
At least six churches were burned or looted. Calm returned in the afternoon but a demonstration called for on Sunday by opposition groups could revive the tension."
---Reuters, January 17, 2015
Associated Press: Muslim Backlash to Charlie Hebdo, January 17, 2015
"The famed French weekly Charlie Hebdo has continued to draw a somewhat contradictory reaction across the Muslim world. Many Muslims have expressed disgust at the deadly assault on the magazine's Paris office by Islamic extremists who killed 12 people. However many also remain deeply offended by the magazine's record of publishing cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad. Those passions were further inflamed this week when the magazine's first issue following the attack carried a cover cartoon depicting Muhammad holding a 'Je Suis Charlie' sign.
According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous.
In the West African nation of Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou said at least 10 people have been killed after violent protests broke out against the latest cartoon depicting Muhammad in the French publication.
Issoufou said that five deaths were reported after demonstrations in the capital of Niamey on Saturday. The victims were inside churches and bars that were set ablaze, he said. On Friday, at least five people were killed in the town of Zinder after prayer services there."
---Associated Press, January 17, 2015
Suspected Boko Haram Guerrillas Crossed Into Cameroon and Kidnapped Dozens
January 18, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: LonelyPlanet.com map of Cameroon
Reuters: Suspected Boko Haram Guerrillas Kidnapped Several in Cameroon, January 18, 2015
"Suspected Boko Haram Islamist fighters from Nigeria kidnapped around 80 people, many of them children, and killed three others on Sunday in a cross-border attack on villages in northern Cameroon, army and government officials said.
The group, which has killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in its bid to carve out an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has also targeted Cameroon and Niger over the past year as it seeks to expand its zone of operations.
Sunday's kidnappings, among the largest abductions on Cameroonian soil, came as neighbouring Chad deployed troops to support Cameroon's forces in the area.
'According to our initial information, around 30 adults, most of them herders, and 50 young girls and boys aged between 10 and 15 years were abducted,' a senior army officer deployed to northern Cameroon told Reuters.
He said the early-morning attack had targeted the village of Mabass and other villages along the porous border. Soldiers intervened and exchanged fire with the raiders for around two hours, he added."
---Reuters, January 18, 2015
NFC Championship Game: Seattle Seahawks Defeated the Green Bay Packers in Overtime, 28 to 22
January 18, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of Seattle receiver Luke Wilson catching a 2-point conversion pass as Green Bay's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix chases, NFC Championship Game, January 18, 2015; Getty Images photo of Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse hauling in an overtime game-winning touchdown pass in the NFC Championship Game versus Green Bay, January 18, 2015
ESPN: Seattle Knocks Off Green Bay in Overtime, 28 to 22
"Never doubt the resilience of the Seattle Seahawks.
Plagued by turnovers and outplayed much of Sunday by Green Bay, the Seahawks staged an improbable comeback and beat the Packers 28-22 in overtime. Russell Wilson, who struggled until the final minutes, hit Jermaine Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown 3:19 into the extra period to end the game."
---ESPN, January 18, 2015
Reuters: Seattle Seahawks Slip Past Green Bay in Overtime, 28 to 22
"Russell Wilson fired a 35-yard touchdown strike to Jermaine Kearse in overtime to give the Seattle Seahawks a stunning 28-22 comeback win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and seal a return trip to the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks, bidding to become the first team in a decade to win back-to-back Super Bowls, will now await the winner of Sunday's AFC final between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.
Trailing 19-7 the Seahawks scored 15 points in 44 seconds late in the fourth quarter, Wilson and Marshawn Lynch each powering their way into the end zone for touchdowns before a two-point conversion put Seattle ahead 22-19."
---Reuters, January 18, 2015
AFC Championship Game: New England Patriots Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 45 to 7
January 18, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Getty Images photo of a New England receiver carrying the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, January 18, 2015
ESPN: New England Takes Lopsided Win Against Indianapolis, 45 to 7
"Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are headed to a special place where no coach or player has gone more -- the Super Bowl.
They earned their trip with the second most lopsided AFC championship victory ever.
The New England Patriots dominant duo earned a sixth trip to the Super Bowl with a 45-7 wipeout of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game before a raucous, rain-soaked crowd Sunday night.
The Patriots tied Dallas and Pittsburgh for most appearances in the big game with eight.
Scoring touchdowns on their first four second-half possessions, the Patriots (14-4) moved on to face defending champion Seattle (14-4) for the NFL title on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Belichick will face Pete Carroll, whom he replaced as Patriots coach 2000. The Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers 28-22 in overtime in the NFC title game."
---ESPN, January 18, 2015
Unrest in Yemen
January 19, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photos of anti-government Houthi Shiite rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015
Above: AP photo of a line of chanting Houthi Shiite rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015; AP photo of Houthi Shiite rebels near presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, January 19, 2015
Above: AP map and graphic regarding unrest in Yemen
Associated Press: Unrest in Yemen, January 19, 2015
"A cease-fire halted intense clashes near the presidential palace in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Monday after Shiite rebels seized control of state-run media in a move that one official called 'a step toward a coup.'
The fighting, centered on the palace and a military area south of it, marked the biggest challenge yet to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi by the rebels, known as Houthis, who swept down from their northern strongholds last year and captured the capital in September.
The violence has plunged the Arab world's poorest country further into chaos and could complicate U.S. efforts to battle al-Qaida's Yemeni affiliate, which claimed responsibility for the attack on a Paris satirical magazine this month and which Washington has long viewed as the global network's most dangerous branch.
The Houthis are seen by their critics as a proxy of Shiite Iran -- charges they deny -- and are believed to be allied with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, ousted in a 2012 deal after Arab Spring protests. They have vowed to eradicate al-Qaida, but are also hostile to the U.S. Their slogan is 'Death to Israel. Death to America.'
The Houthis and forces loyal to Hadi have been in a tense standoff for months in the capital and the two sides traded blame for the outbreak of violence early Monday. Witnesses said heavy machine gun fire could be heard as artillery shells struck around the presidential palace. Civilians in the area fled as columns of black smoke rose over the palace and sirens wailed throughout the city.
Hadi doesn't live at the palace, and extra soldiers and tanks deployed around his private residence, which is nearby.
The convoys of Yemen's prime minister and a top presidential adviser affiliated with the Houthis came under fire, while Houthi fighters took over Yemen state television and its official SABA news agency, Information Minister Nadia Sakkaf said."
---Associated Press, January 19, 2015
Houthi Shiite Rebels Seize Presidential Palace in Yemen
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Map of the Middle East with bold face emphasis on Yemen; AP photo of Houthi Shiite Yemeni standing guard in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Associated Press: Shiite Rebels Take Presidential Palace in Yemen, January 20, 2015
"Yemen's powerful Shiite Houthi rebels shelled the residence of the country's embattled president Tuesday and simultaneously swept into the presidential palace in the capital, Sanaa, as a top military commander warned that a full-fledged 'coup' was underway.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was inside the residence as it came under 'heavy shelling' for half an hour but he was unharmed and protected by guards, officials said. In New York, the U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting over the chaos in Sanaa.
The shelling was a dramatic development that put the U.S.-backed Hadi into a precarious position and represented the starkest challenge to his authority since the Houthis swept into Sanaa from their northern stronghold and seized the capital in September.
Information Minister Nadia al-Sakkaf posted on her Twitter account that the shelling started at 3 p.m. local time 'by armed forces positioned over rooftops facing' the president's house."
---Associated Press, January 20, 2015
President Barack Obama in Office for Six Years
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: President Barack H. Obama
President Barack Obama Delivered the Annual State of the Union Address to Congress
January 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: AP photo of President Obama delivering the State of the Union message, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Above: Bloomberg TV photo of President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden (left), and Speaker of the House John Boehner (right) during the President's State of the Union speech, January 20, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of President Obama receiving standing applause from Vice President Biden as Speaker Boehner remains seated, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
I Know, Because I Won Both of Them
Reuters: Coverage of President Obama's State of the Union Address, January 20, 2015
Associated Press: Analysis of President Obama's SOTU Address, January 20, 2015
New York Times: Coverage of President Obama's State of the Union Address, January 20, 2015
"President Obama claimed credit on Tuesday for an improving economy and defiantly told his Republican adversaries in Congress to 'turn the page' by supporting an expensive domestic agenda aimed at improving the fortunes of the middle class.
Released from the political constraints of a sagging economy, overseas wars and elections, Mr. Obama declared in his sixth State of the Union address that 'the shadow of crisis has passed,' and he vowed to use his final two years in office fighting for programs that had taken a back seat."
---New York Times, January 20, 2015
President of Yemen Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi "Captive" in his Residence
January 21, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above:
Associated Press: Yemeni President Confined to his Home as Shiite Rebels Gain Ground, January 21, 2015
"Shiite rebels in control of Yemen's capital now hold the country's president 'captive' at his home, his aides said Wednesday, putting in question who actually rules the Arab world's most-impoverished nation.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi 'cannot leave his house' after Houthi rebels removed his guards and deployed their own fighters there Wednesday, one aide said.
Another described the country being at the 'point of no return.' Hadi can't resign as president as the Houthis have threatened to prosecute him, that aide said. The two aides spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.
The embattled Hadi — a top U.S. ally in the war against al-Qaida in Yemen — appears to have run out of options to continue governing the country, months after the Houthis began a blitz across the country in September. It also raises the danger of al-Qaida in Yemen, which claimed the recent attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and failed assaults on the U.S. homeland, could grow more powerful in the chaos.
Advisers said Wednesday that Houthis issued a list of demands to Hadi, asking for the post of vice president and several key government offices, during a meeting Tuesday with Hadi's advisers.
The collapse of Hadi's powers is rooted in Yemen's fractured armed forces, torn between Hadi and his predecessor, deposed president Ali Abdullah Saleh."
---Associated Press, January 21, 2015
President of Yemen Resigns
January 22, 2015 (Thursday)
Above:
Associated Press: President of Yemen Resigns, January 22, 2015
"Yemen's president resigned Thursday, saying he had reached a 'deadlock' in talks with Shiite rebels who rule the capital and had confined him to his home. His resignation raised fears the Arab world's poorest country could again split apart, severely complicating U.S. efforts to combat al-Qaida's powerful local franchise.
Presidential officials said Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a close U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida, submitted his resignation to parliament after being pressured to make further concessions to the rebels, known as Houthis, who are widely believed to be backed by Iran, charges they deny.
The rebels effectively control the capital Sanaa, several other cities and state institutions, but their writ does not extend to vast areas of the country that are predominantly Sunni, where its recent encroachments have fanned fears of a sectarian conflict. The Houthis could also face sanctions from the international community, which strongly backed Hadi.
Yemen also has a powerful movement in the south demanding autonomy or a return to the full independence the region enjoyed prior to 1990, which is unlikely to accept rule by the Houthis, whose power base is in the north. The Houthis are Zaydis, a Shiite minority that makes up about a third of Yemen's population.
Hadi's resignation came after several rounds of negotiations over a new governing arrangement that would give the Houthis more power. Many observers suggested the Houthis would keep Hadi on as a puppet to maintain the veneer of international legitimacy."
---Associated Press, January 22, 2015
Deflategate: Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady Deny Involvement and/or Knowledge About Deflating Footballs
January 22, 2015:
Above: AP photo of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaking at press conference (note the ironic Gillette #FLEXBALL advertisement behind Brady), January 22, 2015
Associated Press: New England's Head Coach and Quarterback Deny Involvement in Deflation of Footballs in AFC Championship Game
"The two men most responsible for delivering wins for the New England Patriots both said Thursday they have no explanation for how footballs used to reach the Super Bowl were underinflated by 2 pounds per square inch.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he has not been contacted by the NFL, even as league officials investigate whether the team cheated against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game.
'I don't know what happened,' Brady said, answering questions from reporters hours after Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he almost never thinks about football pressure and doesn't know what happened, either."
---Associated Press, January 22, 2015
ESPN: Tom Brady Denies Role in Deflating Footballs in AFC Championship Game
"New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday that he has not yet been contacted by the NFL about its investigation into underinflated footballs, adding: 'I didn't alter the ball in any way.'
In a news conference that lasted a little more than 30 minutes, Brady detailed how he selected 24 footballs for referees to inspect before Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts."
---ESPN, January 22, 2015
King of Saudi Arabia Dies at the Age of 90
January 23, 2015 (Friday): King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died on January 22, 2015 U.S. time, but it was the 23rd in Saudi Arabia.
Above: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia; AP photo of King Abdullah in 2009
Above: April 2005 AP Photo of President George W. Bush walking hand-in-hand with then Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Associated Press: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Dies at Age 90, January 23, 2015
"His changes looked minute to the outside world. But in a kingdom where ultra-conservative Muslim clerics long have held a lock on all aspects of society, King Abdullah's incremental reforms echoed mightily.
When Abdullah took the unprecedented step of opening a new university where men and women could mix in classrooms, part of his gradual campaign to modernize Saudi Arabia, grumbling arose among the hard-liners who form the bedrock of the powerful religious establishment. One sheikh dared to openly say that the mingling of genders at the king's university was 'a great sin and a great evil.'
Abdullah sent a tough signal: He fired the critic from the state-run body of clerics who set the rules for Saudi life.
As one of the world's largest oil exporters, Saudi Arabia is governed by a mix of tribal traditions and perhaps the world's strictest interpretation of Islam. Its royal family prefers to act quietly in the background, shies away from direct confrontation, avoids putting itself on the line and prefers slow-paced change to radical reform.
But Abdullah, who died Friday at the age of 90 after nearly two decades in power, acted at times with unusual forcefulness for a Saudi monarch. At home, the results were reforms, including advancements for women, that were startling — for the kingdom at least — and a heavy crackdown against al-Qaida militants. Abroad, his methods translated into a powerful assertion of Saudi Arabia's influence around the Middle East.
Backed by the kingdom's top ally, the United States, the king was aggressive in trying to put up a bulwark against the spreading power of Saudi Arabia's top rival, mainly Shiite Iran, thus shaping the Arab world along new lines — an anti-Iran camp and a pro-Iran camp."
---Associated Press, January 23, 2015
Presidential Election 2016: Jeb Bush Takes Pro-Immigration Stance
January 23, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida
New York Times: Jeb Bush Takes Pro-Immigration Stance, January 23, 2015
"In a sweeping speech that leaned heavily on economic policy, former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida on Friday described immigrants as the 'engine of economic vitality' before calling for a more welcoming immigration policy that could put him at odds with some in the more conservative wing of his party.
'We need to find a path to legalized status for those who have come here and have languished in the shadows,' Mr. Bush said. While not specifically calling for a path to legalization for unauthorized immigrants, Mr. Bush’s statement will probably be a topic of conversation this weekend in Iowa, as many other Republicans attend the Iowa Freedom Summit hosted by Representative Steve King, who maintains a hard-line policy against illegal immigration."
---New York Times, January 23, 2015
Presidential Election 2016: Anti-Immigration Congressman Steve King Hosts "Freedom Summit," a Forum for Potential GOP Candidates
January 24, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Reuters photo of "Freedom Summit" speaker Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Saturday, January 24, 2015; Reuters photo of "Freedom Summit" speaker Republican Ted Cruz of Texas, Saturday, January 24, 2015
Above: Associated Press photo of Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; Associated Press photo of former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa) at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
Above: AP photo of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaking at the so-called Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; AP photo of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee speaking at the so-called Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
Above: AP photo of former Texas governor Rick Perry speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015; AP photo of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin speaking at the "Freedom Summit" in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
Reuters: Coverage of the Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 2015
"Potential Republican presidential candidates for 2016 jockeyed for support from conservatives in the early voting state of Iowa on Saturday, and some raised doubts about the prospects for party front runners Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush.
Activists attending the Iowa Freedom Summit heard criticism of President Barack Obama and fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, who traveled widely as Obama's first-term secretary of state and is likely to run."
---Reuters, January 24, 2015
Associated Press: Coverage of the "Freedom Summit," January 24, 2015
Greek Parliamentary Elections: Leftist Syriza Party Triumphs
January 25, 2015 (Sunday)
Above: Alexis Tsipras; Reuters photo of Greek leftist Syriza Party leader Alexis Tsipras arriving at a voting site in Athens, Greece, January 25, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of Syriza Party leader Alexis Tsipras casting a ballot in Athens, Greece, January 25, 2015; Reuters photo of Syriza supporters in Athens, Greece in celebration of the monumental election, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: Reuters photo of Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras speaking in triumph, Sunday, January 25, 2015; AP photo of a woman waving a Greek flag during the celebration of the Syriza triumph in the 2015 Greek Parliamentary Elections, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: AP photo of Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras waving to supporters in the wake of the his electoral triumph, Sunday, January 25, 2015
Above: Macropolis.gr graph showing the percentages of votes and numbers of seats won by the respective political parties in the 2015 Greek parliamentary elections
Reuters: Coverage of the 2015 Greek Parliamentary Elections
"Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras promised on Sunday that five years of austerity, 'humiliation and suffering' imposed by international creditors were over after his Syriza party swept to victory in a snap election on Sunday.
With about 60 percent of votes counted, Syriza was set to win 149 seats in the 300 seat parliament, with 36.1 percent of the vote, around eight points ahead of the conservative New Democracy party of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
While a final result may not come for hours, the 40-year-old Tsipras is on course to become prime minister of the first euro zone government openly opposed to the kind of crippling austerity policies which the European Union and International Monetary Fund imposed on Greece as a condition of its bailout."
---Reuters, January 25, 2015
Associated Press: Leftist Party Syriza Wins Greek Parliamentary Elections, January 25, 2015
"A radical left-wing party vowing to end Greece's painful austerity program won a historic victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections, setting up a showdown with the country's international creditors that could shake the eurozone.
Alexis Tsipras, leader of the communist-rooted Syriza party, immediately promised to end the 'five years of humiliation and pain' that Greece has endured since an international bailout saved it from bankruptcy in 2010.
'The verdict of the Greek people ends, beyond any doubt, the vicious circle of austerity in our country,' Tsipras told a crowd of rapturous flag-waving supporters.
Syriza appeared just shy of the majority that would allow it to govern alone. With 97.6 percent of polling stations counted, Syriza had 36.4 percent — and 149 of parliament's 300 seats — versus 27.8 percent for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' conservatives.
If Tsipras, 40, can put together a government, he will be Greece's youngest prime minister in 150 years, while Syriza would be the first radical left party to ever govern the country.
The prospect of an anti-bailout government coming to power in Greece has revived fears of a bankruptcy that could reverberate across the eurozone, send shockwaves through global markets and undermine the euro, the currency shared by 19 European countries."
---Associated Press, January 25, 2015
Leftist Leader Alexis Tsipras Became Prime Minister of Greece
January 26, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photo of right-wing Greek Independent leader Panos Kammenos meeting with Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras on Monday, January 26, 2015
Associated Press: Leftist Syriza Leader Alexis Tsipras Becomes Prime Minister of Greece
"Radical left leader Alexis Tsipras was sworn in as Greece's new prime minister Monday after forming a surprise alliance with a small right-wing nationalist party Independent Greeks, signaling possible confrontation over the country's bailout.
The 40-year-old broke with tradition and took a secular oath rather than the Greek Orthodox religious ceremony with which prime ministers are usually sworn in.
Tsipras' anti-bailout Syriza party gained the backing needed to form a government by obtaining the support of Independent Greeks, which took 4.7 percent of the votes.
Although the alliance between two ideologically opposed parties who share only their opposition to the bailout was a surprise, it nevertheless boosted stock markets across Europe that had fallen on news of the uncertain election results and fear of a second election. Stocks had fallen as much as 4 percent in Athens on Monday morning, before recovering most losses. The stock market was down 1.6 percent in early afternoon trading.
Syriza won 36.3 percent of the vote in Sunday's early general elections but fell two seats short of the necessary majority in the 300-seat parliament to form a government on its own.
The details of who will serve in the government and whether the two parties will form a coalition or whether there will be a Syriza-only minority government supported by Independent Greeks were expected to be announced later Monday."
---Associated Press, January 26, 2015
Reuters: Syriza Leader Alexis Tsipras Becomes Prime Minister of Greece, January 26, 2015
"Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras was sworn in on Monday as the prime minister of a new hardline, anti-bailout government determined to face down international lenders and end nearly five years of tough economic measures.
The decisive victory by Tsipras' Syriza in Sunday's snap election reignites fears of new financial troubles in the country that set off the regional crisis in 2009. It is also the first time a member of the 19-nation euro zone will be led by parties rejecting German-backed austerity.
Tsipras' success is also likely to empower Europe's fringe parties, including other anti-austerity movements across the region's economically-depressed south. The trouncing of the conservatives represents a defeat of Europe’s middle-ground political guard, which has dallied on a growth-versus-budget discipline debate for five years while voters suffered."
---Reuters, January 26, 2015
New York Times: Alexis Tsipras Becomes Prime Minister of Greece, January 26, 2015
"Alexis Tsipras, the leftist political maverick who swept to power in Greece in a popular rebellion, was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Monday and immediately formed a new coalition government to charge into the task of reversing wrenching austerity policies and negotiating with European leaders to reduce Greece’s debt burden.
Dressed in a blue shirt, a dark blazer and no tie, he strode calmly into Maximos Mansion, the seat of the prime minister’s office, and took a civil oath rather than a religious one to assume the leadership of the nation."
---New York Times, January 26, 2015
Reuters Column: A Renewed Specter is Haunting Europe
The Church of England Consecrates its First Female Bishop
January 26, 2015 (Monday)
Above: AP photos of Libby Lane, the Church of England's first female bishop, January 26, 2015
CBS News: Church of England Consecrates its First Bishop, January 26, 2015
"The male monopoly in the leadership of the Church of England ended Monday, as the 500-year-old institution consecrated its first female bishop."
---Associated Press/CBS News, January 26, 2015
BBC: Libby Lane Becomes First Female Bishop in the Church of England, January 26, 2015
The Dow Declines 1.65%
January 27, 2015 (Tuesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 291 points with a close of 17,387 on January 27, 2015
Two Former Vanderbilt Football Players Convicted of Committing Rape
January 27, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: AP photo of former Vanderbilt football player Cory Batey during trial, January 26, 2015; AP photo of former Vanderbilt football player Brandon Vandenburg during trial, January 26, 2015
ESPN: Two Former Vanderbilt Football Players Convicted of Rape, January 27, 2015
"A jury convicted two ex-Vanderbilt football players on Tuesday of raping a former student, rejecting claims that they were too drunk to know what they were doing and that a college culture of binge drinking and promiscuous sex should be blamed for the attack.
The jury deliberated for three hours before announcing that Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey were guilty of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery."
---ESPN (AP), January 27, 2015
Dow Jones Industrial Average Declined 1.13%
January 28, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a DJIA decline of 195 points and a close of 17,191 on January 28, 2015
Premiere of Season 3 of The Americans on FX
January 28, 2015 (Wednesday)
Above: Poster for Season 3 of The Americans on FX
Season 3 of "The Americans" on FX
Militants Kill Over a Dozen in Iraq
January 29, 2015 (Thursday)
Above: Wikipedia map of Iraq
Associated Press: Attacks Kill Over a Dozen in Iraq, January 29, 2015
"Bombings and a shooting killed at least 16 people around the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Thursday, including soldiers and Shiite militiamen, officials said.
Police officials say the deadliest attack took place Thursday afternoon when two suicide bombers set off their explosive belts inside a Shiite militia headquarters in the town of Mishada, 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Baghdad, killing seven Shiite militiamen and wounding 20 others.
Shiite militias have been fighting alongside government forces against the Islamic State, a Sunni extremist group that seized vast swaths of northern and western Iraq last year."
---Associated Press, January 29, 2015
ISIS Attacks Near Kirkuk, Iraq
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters photo of the aftermath of a bombing site in Baghdad, Iraq, January 30, 2015; AP photo of bombed-out area in Baghdad, Iraq, January 30, 2015
Reuters: More ISIS Attacks in Iraq, January 30, 2015
"Islamic State militants struck at Kurdish forces southwest of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Friday morning, while bombs in Baghdad and Samarra killed at least 21 people, security and medical sources said.
Police in the northern province of Kirkuk said Islamic State launched mortars and attacked positions of Kurdish peshmerga fighters in four districts southwest of Kirkuk city.
Islamic State has frequently battled Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite militias further south and west since the radical jihadist group surged across the Syrian border last summer, but attacks on the outskirts of Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk have been less frequent."
---Reuters, January 30, 2015
Associated Press; Kurdish General in Iraq Killed by ISIS, January 30, 2015
"Clashes with Islamic State militants killed a senior Kurdish military commander and eight of his fighters just outside the disputed northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Friday, officials said.
Attacks elsewhere killed 27 people, with twin bombs hitting a crowded market in Baghdad and a suicide bomber targeting pro-government Shiite militiamen who were manning a checkpoint outside a city north of the Iraqi capital.
The casualties near the oil-rich Kirkuk were a heavy setback for the Iraqi Kurds, who have been at the forefront of the battle against the Islamic State group, which has captured a third of both Iraq and Syria in its blitz last year.
Also Friday, a car bomb exploded outside an empty, closed hotel near Kirkuk's police headquarters, wounding two people. Both the Kurdish troops and the city's security force have been trying to rout the IS group from Kirkuk, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad.
After the car bombing, three gunmen took positions inside the hotel, located in the city center, triggering a firefight with the Kurds and the police.
Associated Press footage from the scene showed members of the Kurdish troops and the local police firing at the Qassir Hotel in Kirkuk and then storming it. Officials later said the gunmen were all killed.
The Kurdish Brig. Gen. Shirko Fatih and eight Kurdish fighters died in clashes south of the city earlier in the day, after the IS militants attacked the peshmerga fighters' positions, said Brig. Khatab Omar."
---Associated Press, January 30, 2015
Mitt Romney Announces that he will not Run for President in 2016
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: AP photo of Mitt Romney speaking at Mississippi State University in Starkville, January 28, 2015
Associated Press: Mitt Romney Says He Won't Run in 2016
"After a three-week flirtation with a new campaign for the White House, Mitt Romney announced Friday that he will not seek the presidency in 2016.
'After putting considerable thought into making another run for president, I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next nominee,' Romney told supporters on a conference call.
The exit of Romney, who was the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, comes after several of his former major donors and a veteran staffer in the early voting state of Iowa defected to support former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would have served as Romney's most likely rivals for the support of the Republican Party's establishment-minded voters.
In his call with supporters, Romney appeared to take a swipe at Bush, saying it was time for fresh leadership within the GOP.
'I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well-known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee,' Romney said. 'In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case.'"
---Associated Press, January 30, 2015
The Dow Ends January 2015 at 17,164
January 30, 2015 (Friday)
Above: Reuters chart showing a month-ending session decline of 251 points and a close of 17,164 on January 30, 2015
ISIS Seizes Oil Facility in Northern Iraq
January 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Wikipedia map of iraq
Reuters: ISIS Forces Capture Oil Facility Near Kirkuk in Northern Iraq, January 31, 2015
"Islamic State insurgents on Saturday seized a small crude oil station near the northern Iraqi city Kirkuk where 15 employees were working, and explosions in and around the capital Baghdad killed at least nine people.
Two officials from the state-run North Oil Co confirmed the militants seized a crude oil separation unit in Khabbaz and said 15 oil workers were missing after the company lost contact with them."
---Reuters, January 31, 2015
Podemos, a Spanish Leftist Party, Held a Massive Rally Madrid, Spain
January 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photos of a mass rally in Madrid, Spain--a rally held by Podemos, a Spanish leftist political party
Above: Reuters photo of Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias (waving in center of photo) at mass rally in Madrid, Spain, January 31, 2015; Photo of Pablo Iglesias, Secretary General of Podemos, a leftist political party in Spain
Reuters: Spanish Leftist Party Podemos Holds Massive Rally, January 31, 2015
"Tens of thousands marched in Madrid on Saturday in the biggest show of support yet for anti-austerity party Podemos, whose surging popularity and policies have drawn comparisons with Greece's new Syriza rulers.
Crowds chanted 'yes we can' and 'tic tac tic tac', suggesting the clock was ticking for the political elite. Many waved Greek and Republican flags and banners reading 'the change is now'.
Podemos ('We Can') was formed just a year ago, but produced a major shock by winning five seats in elections for the European Parliament in May. It is currently topping opinion polls in the run up to local, regional and national elections this year."
---Reuters, January 31, 2015
Associated Press: Spanish Leftist Party Podemos Holds Mass Rally in Madrid, January 31, 2015
"Hundreds of thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday in a show of strength by a fledgling radical leftist party, which hopes to emulate the success of Greece's Syriza party in the Spanish general election later this year.
Podemos supporters from across Spain converged around the Cibeles fountain Saturday before packing the avenue leading to Puerta del Sol square in what was the party's largest rally to date.
State broadcaster TVE said that hundreds of thousands were at the march, but no official attendance figures were provided.
Podemos ('We Can') aims to shatter the country's predominantly two-party system and the 'March for Change' gathered crowds in the same place where sit-in protests against political and financial corruption laid the party's foundations in 2011.
The party's rise is greatly due to the charisma of its pony-tailed leader, Pablo Iglesias, a 36-year-old political science professor.
Hailing from the Madrid working class neighborhood of Vallecas, Iglesias prefers jeans and rolled up shirt sleeves to a suit and tie and champions slogans such as Spain is 'run by the butlers of the rich' and that the economy must serve the people."
---Associated Press, January 31, 2015
U.S. Military Confirms that ISIS Has Been Pushed Out of Kobani, Syria
December 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: Maps of Syria
Reuters: U.S. Military Confirms that ISIS Has Been Pushed Out of Kobani, Syria
"Kurdish ground forces, helped by U.S. and allied air support, have retaken the Syrian town of Kobani from Islamic State militants, U.S. Lieutenant-General James Terry said on Saturday.
Supporting what Kurdish forces said earlier this week, Terry, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force that has been leading air strikes against Islamic State, said in a statement issued by the U.S. military: 'Kurdish ground forces, supported by our air component, were successful in retaking the town of Kobani.'
A monitoring group and Syrian state media reported Kurdish fighters took full control of Kobani on Monday, but on Tuesday a U.S. official said the town on the Turkish border had not been fully retaken.
Saturday's statement said Kurdish forces had pushed Islamic State out of Kobani on Tuesday."
---Reuters, December 31, 2015
Video Released Showing the Execution of Second Japanese Hostage
January 31, 2015 (Saturday)
Above: AP photo from video (released on January 31, 2015) showing Japanese reporter Kenji Goto (on his knees) with an ISIS militant
Reuters: Video Released Showing Japanese Hostage Kenji Goto Being Beheaded by ISIS
"Islamic State militants said on Saturday they had killed Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, after the apparent failure of sustained international efforts to secure his release through a prisoner swap.
The hardline Islamist group, an offshoot of al Qaeda which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, released a video which purported to show the beheaded body of journalist Goto and threatened further attacks on Japanese targets.
Islamic State has said Goto was held along with a Jordanian pilot. Efforts to win their release had focused on the possible release of an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber jailed in Jordan 10 years ago. The video did not mention the pilot.
Japan condemned the militants and said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet would meet in response to the video, which showed a hooded man standing over Goto with a knife to his throat, followed by footage of a head put on the back of a human body.
The release of the video came exactly a week after footage purportedly showing the beheaded body of another Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa."
---Reuters, January 31, 2015
Associated Press: Video Released Showing the Execution of Second Japanese Hostage
"An online video released Saturday night purported to show an Islamic State group militant beheading Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, ending days of negotiations to save the man and heightening fears for the life a Jordanian fighter pilot also held hostage."
---Associated Press, January 31, 2015
February 2015